The History of Teeth Whitening

July 29, 2013 - PRLog -- The idea of whitening your teeth at home via a customized bleaching tray or whitening strips might seem like a phenomenon that you would only find in the 21^st century. However, teeth whitening at home have, in a variety of different forms, been around for centuries.

In fact, the history of human beings whitening their teeth can be traced back to the ancient times. As far back as 3,000 BC, even though the toothbrush had yet to be invented, ancient people did use something referred to as chew sticks. These sticks were actually small twigs that were chewed upon with the intent of removing particles from the teeth.

Here are a few more facts you might not have known:

§  Ancient Egyptians began whitening their teeth roughly 4,000 years ago. White teeth were desirable because they were symbolic of wealth and beauty. The Egyptians mixed together a paste of wine vinegar that was ground with a pumice stone to whiten their teeth.

§  The ancient Romans used human urine to whiten their teeth. (Sounds rather disgusting, doesn’t it?) The primary bleaching agent was the ammonia found in the urine.

§  During the 1600’s, barbers were also tasked with the responsibility of caring for people’s teeth, as well as their hair. The teeth were filed down, and the barber would then apply a sort of acid that would whiten the teeth. While the acid was effective at accomplishing its intended task, it also led to tooth decay by eroding the enamel of their teeth.

§  The positive effects of fluoride on the teeth weren’t discovered until the early 1800’s. Dentists quickly realized that their patients who were exposed to fluoride in their food and drink had teeth that were free of cavities. However, they also discovered that using too much fluoride could stain the teeth too.

Today’s popular bleaching methods started off as heavy trays with peroxide sometime in the late 1980’s. Dentists had accidentally stumbled upon this whitening technique a couple of decades before. Dentists had used peroxide, as a form of antiseptic oral gel, to treat gum disease for years. The primary problem was that the gel didn’t stay on the gums for very long. With the invention of the trays, the side benefit of using peroxide to whiten teeth quickly (http://www.whiteteethwhiteningkits.co.uk) became apparent.

Consequently, it wasn’t long after that the mass marketing of teeth whitening products began.

Today’s modern technology has enabled most people to notice a visible difference in the appearance of their smile in as little as two weeks. Fortunately, these modern methods of at home whitening (http://www.whiteteethwhiteningkits.co.uk) are both effective and safe.

If you want to achieve the whiter, brighter smile that you’ve always dreamed of, start by browsing through this website here visit http://www.whiteteethwhiteningkits.co.uk for details. From whitening strips to pens, they offer dozens of different products. If you need assistance choosing the right one, just use the contact us here at the website. With so many options to choose from, they guarantee that you will find exactly what you are looking for!