Two of the most popular ways to brighten yellow and discolored teeth are tooth whitening strips or whitening trays.

The strips are made of paper thin flexible plastic (polyethylene) and coated with a bleaching agent (hydrogen peroxide) on one side.

How Long Do Strips vs. Custom Bleaching Trays Take

Typically the length of time whitening strips are used will depend on the concentration and number provided. Using 28-56 strips treatment can last anywhere from 7-14 days.

For example, at 10% concentration of peroxide treatment extends over a 7 day period using 28 strips. Half of these will be used on lower teeth and the rest on uppers.

At 6% concentration the length of treatment would extend over a 14 day period with a total of 56 strips in all.

Each treatment last for about 30 minutes and for this reason some have found dental strips more convenient and less cumbersome when compared to bleaching trays.

Others have found difficulty in preventing the strips from coming off.

Another alternative would be quick dissolving whitening strips that melt in your mouth after about 15 minutes cutting waiting time in half.

Custom Bleaching Trays

Trays resemble a mouth guard. A small amount of gel is place into each impression. How long do you bleach? This depends on the strength of the solution. The bleaching gel

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Dealing with bad breath from a stranger, friend or casual acquaintance is difficult enough, but when you have to live eat and sleep with that person every day it can really become a challenge. Confronting your husband or spouse can lead to hurt feelings and arguments. Bad breath is a sensitive topic for most people but when the criticism is coming from the one you love it can really hit a raw nerve.

Whether you realize or not your husband may be aware he has foul breath odor and has

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If you have dental braces then you know it’s a constant battle to control bacteria and keep down breath odor (halitosis). Not to mention the fact that many find them unsightly and often embarrassing. Teens hate braces.

Unfortunately sometimes they are a necessity. Teeth that are not aligned properly can get worse and drift cause bite and problems eating.

Braces on your teeth will require extra work to keep down bacteria because food particles can become trapped in the brackets and wires. The longer the particles remain chances increase that not only will your breath smell bad but dental disease can occur. Brushing and flossing is no easy task either. Many find that it is almost impossible to remove trapped food with a regular toothbrush.

The Proxy Brush (Christmas tree brush) was specifically designed clean teeth in between dental braces, under the wire and removes stubborn food particles. Xmas tree brushes can be found over the counter or at drug stores.

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Yes it may be hard to believe but the very toothbrush you clean your teeth with can cause mouth infection, gum disease, bad breath and tooth decay.

When you really think about it all those nasty little germs you scrap off your teeth stick to the surface of your brush. They can infect or re-infect gums and soft tissue traveling deep below the gum line.

What’s On The Surface Of Your Toothbrush

To reduce the risk of infection clean and sterilize toothbrush bristles.

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Canker Sore Treatment

There are many items which you may already have in your home that can help relieve or treat the symptoms of canker sores (aphthous ulcers). Do a quick mental inventory or shelf check and see if you have any of the following items. Many of these home remedies are easy to use and save you money at the same time.

• Aloe Vera-pour 1/4 cup of juice and gargle

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Dentures are an artificial prosthesis that can become filled with bacteria that cause breath odor. Like natural teeth dentures have spaces where food particles can become trapped. Not only is this a problem, but the acrylic material has many microscopic pores where bacteria can hide and cause bad breath (halitosis).

Effective Ways To Clean Dentures And Kill Odor

Killing germs and bacteria is of primary importance in avoiding oral disease. One of the most effective ways to rid dentures of bacteria is to

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For those of us who do not have aesthetically pleasing teeth, there is cosmetic dentistry that will allow you to cover-up or remove tooth imperfections. These defects may be caused by bad dental hygiene habits which have lead to tooth to decay or hereditary anomalies. Our smile is one of our most valuable assets and it affects the way we project ourselves to others. Dental veneers will allow you to straighten crooked teeth without the use of braces. Porcelain veneers are highly resistant to staining and provide long-term tooth whitening results that cannot be achieved with chemicals and require less maintenance. They not only provide a solution for yellow and discolored teeth but also teeth that are:

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Appearing as creamy white patches/spots on the tongue and inner cheeks, oral thrush is a yeast fungus (candida albicans) infection of the mouth. When occurring in adults oral Candidiasis can cause a burning sensation in the mouth and throat.

Other Symptoms

One of the first signs may be an increase bad taste in the mouth or a decrease in the ability to taste.

Thrush may cause difficulty/pain swallowing, feeling that something is stuck in the throat or mid chest.

Fever may occur if

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Straining to eliminate dry hard stools (feces) from the rectum or incomplete bowel movements can be both frustrating and painful. There are many factors that can interfere with regular bowel movements. Some of which include the lack of fiber in the diet (fruits and vegetables, grains), medications, hormones and illness.

Normally the colon absorbs just the right amount of water from food to make waste products and muscle contractions will send the stool to the rectum for excretion. If the colon absorbs to much water then stools will be hard and difficult to expel.

It is not necessary to have bowel movements daily to be considered within the normal range. But if they are occurring

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Bad breath can come from deep in the back of the throat when tonsilloliths become trapped in the crevices of the tonsils. These small smelly white balls (can also be yellow, beige or large) are clusters of food particles, sulfur producing bacteria, dead cells and mucus secretions that build up and become trapped.

What are the Symptoms Of Tonsil Stones

• The first symptoms of Tonsilloliths are a feeling of something being stuck in the back of the throat.
• A chronic cough or sneezing which may loosen and reveal the presence of calcified stones for the very first time.
• These clusters of white bumps create a need to constantly clear the throat.

Getting Rid Of Tonsil Stones

Healthcare professionals recommend removing these pesky white bumps with

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