Daily flossing is the hardest part of oral hygiene for most patients. However, it is critically important in establishing and maintaining oral health. There is a product on the market that can make this task easier.

The Reach Access Daily Flosser is essentially a device for holding a pre-measured length of dental floss. The handle resembles a typical toothbrush handle. The end of the handle has a clip that holds a disposable piece of dental floss strung between two plastic arms. This product allows easier access to the tight areas between the teeth without having to stick your fingers far back into your mouth.

Many people think of the use of lasers as the epitome of high tech dentistry. Lasters are useful for certain procedures mostly involving soft tissue. Surgical incisions can be made with a laser. They can also be used to treat some diseases of the gum tissue. Some root canal procedures can be done with the assistance of a laser.

The main difference between overthe- counter and professional tooth whitening is in the strength of the bleaching solution. The professional strength solution provides a more noticeable change in tooth color and the whitening is more stable, or long lasting. Many solutions available through dental offices contain antisensitivity ingredients to reduce the most common side effects of tooth whitening. The whitening solution is applied to the teeth by using a custom fitted tray that is made from impressions of a patient's mouth. The tray is made from a very thin plastic material. This allows the solution to be safely applied to the enamel at the best concentration.

There are several different ways that teeth can be whitened. There are products that are available overthe- counter at pharmacies and supermarkets for home whitening. WhiteStrips are very thin sheets of plastic that have the peroxide on them. You mold the plastic to your teeth and leave it on for thirty minutes twice a day. Night Effects and similar products are a paint on gel containing peroxide. You apply it to your teeth at bedtime and it works while you sleep. These products are actually pretty effective.

The peroxide whitening compound is similar to the solution dentists use, however, it is not as strong. There are Professional Strength WhiteStrips available at many dental offices for their patients. These have a stronger peroxide compound and contain more strips than the product sold over-the-counter.

In our appearance-conscious society, many people are interested in improving their smile. One of the simplest and effective ways of doing this is through whitening or bleaching the teeth. Basically, this can be done by applying a type of peroxide to the enamel for a period of time each day over the course of a week or two. The peroxide changes the color of the teeth so they look lighter and brighter. The peroxide does not harm the enamel in any way. The amount of change in tooth color varies from patient to patient. Brown or yellow discoloration seems to respond better than grayish discoloration.