The Great American Heart Hoax: Economic and Political Implications
Cardiovascular care in America is spiraling out of control. We are now spending more than one hundred billion dollars a year for treatment and management of cardiovascular catastrophes (heart attack, stroke and diseases of the vascular system). This extraordinary amount of money is spent on victims of a disease that is largely preventable.
In The Great American Heart Hoax I have outlined the problems of cardiovascular care in America that is draining our healthcare dollars and contributing to our financial collapse. In addition, I point out key areas of wasteful spending on expensive and risky diagnostic studies as well as procedures that are of no benefit to the millions of Americans who fall prey to the cardiovascular intervention industry. What may surprise you is what you believed to be the ultimate of cardiac care in this country is often unnecessary and dangerous.
Examples of inappropriate cardiovascular care are summarized below:
- Coronary angioplasty and stent insertion: While coronary angioplasty (the opening up of a blocked artery with a catheter device) and stent placement can be indicated and potentially lifesaving in acute coronary syndromes such as heart attacks, utilizing this technology in stable patients who have coronary blockages is inappropriate and has never been shown to reduce the risk of future heart attack or prolong life as compared to more conservative therapy (lifestyle changes and medications as indicated). Indeed balloon angioplasty and stent placement can often lead to an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared to an intensive prevention approach. Despite this well-researched fact the cardiovascular intervention industry continues like a freight-train out of control. This year over one million stents will be inserted in patients across America and many of these procedures are clearly not indicated.
- Heart bypass surgery (also called coronary artery bypass graft surgery): like catheter-based intervention, heart bypass surgery is clearly indicated in select unstable patients, however bypass surgery is over-utilized in the majority of patients with obstructive coronary artery disease. Major clinical trials have failed to show a benefit in clinical outcome in the vast majority of stable patients treated with bypass surgery.
- CT-Scans: While CT scans are often necessary in unstable patients in the emergency room as a diagnostic modality, the proliferation of this technology to screen Americans for coronary artery disease is inappropriate and leads to a depletion of our valuable health care dollars. There is no evidence that subjecting yourself to a CT scan will lower your risk of having a heart attack or prolong your life. Most disturbing is the fact that these procedures subject unsuspecting men and women to excessive radiation exposure which stays with them for a lifetime and increases their risk of cancer. At the end of the day ask yourself the following question: do I need to pay a large sum of money and be bombarded with a significant dose of radiation just to be told to do what I should be doing anyway? Follow a healthy-lifestyle with optimal nutrition, regular exercise, stress management and smoking cessation.
- Stress-nuclear studies: As with CT scans, stress nuclear studies are expensive and lead to significant amounts of radiation exposure via intravenous radioisotopes. These tests should be avoided in the stable population. If a stress test is recommended with imaging why not choose a stress-echo study which is less expensive than a stress-nuclear study and utilizes harmless sound waves to provide similar information?
- Cardiac catheterization: Another expensive diagnostic tool that carries a multitude of significant risks. These risks are justified in unstable patients however this procedure should not be performed indiscriminately on stable individuals.
The Solution
There is a better road we can walk down that will provide us with a lifetime of heart health. This road is called progress road and it costs a fraction of the journey down the dead-end road, with excessive interventions and diagnostic studies that don’t improve clinical outcome. Progress road is truly the biggest bang for the buck!
Progress road utilizes clinically proven prevention rather than needless intervention to keep us healthy and lowers our health care costs that cripple the financial health of America thereby impeding our ability to compete in a global economy.
It consists of:
- A heart- healthy Mediterranean-style diet.
- Regular exercise: 30 minutes of walking should be considered a daily routine.
- Stress management: Simple techniques such as yoga, breathing exercise or relaxation response training can serve to lower our blood pressure and pulse and protect us from vascular insults such as heart attacks and strokes.
- Control cholesterol: Following a Mediterranean-style diet will significantly lower cholesterol levels in the majority of Americans. Judicious use of medications such as generic statins could also be utilized if required.
- Blood pressure control: Blood pressure can be managed with lifestyle changes (Mediterranean diet, exercise, smoking cessation and stress management). Blood pressure medication should be used in select patients if lifestyle changes do not achieve goal.
- Avoid metabolic syndrome and diabetes: again diet and exercise are key to prevent or reverse these conditions.
- Achieve ideal body weight.
- Lower inflammation and oxidative stress: a Mediterranean diet, regular exercise, weight control, avoiding pollution and pesticides, good oral hygiene (daily flossing) all serve to lower inflammation and free radical induced oxidative stress that leads to cardiovascular disease.
- Have a routine physical exam with comprehensive blood work: an ongoing relationship with your personal treating physician to discuss prevention strategies is key. Get the proper screening blood studies to uncover hidden risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Avoid unnecessary procedures that increase the cost of medical care and do not lead to improved clinical outcomes.
At this critical juncture, we have to decide what is best for the health and wealth of the citizens of this country. Will it be business as usual with indiscriminate utilization of diagnostic and interventional procedures that cost billions and don’t improve the overall health of Americans or do we want a health care system that is affordable and delivers preventive care that gives us the biggest bang for our buck? I think the answer is clear. The Great American Heart Hoax chronicles all that is wrong with our current health care system for cardiovascular treatment and it also delivers a concise, practical and clinically proven 10- step approach that can lead us to the promise land of affordable health care, fewer heart attacks and strokes and freedom from a misguided cardiovascular intervention industry that is sabotaging our financial and medical well-being.
Copyright © 2009 Michael Ozner, M.D., author of The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell You About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will)
Author Bio
Michael Ozner, MD, FACC, FAHA, author of The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell You About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will), is one of America’s leading advocates for heart disease prevention. Dr. Ozner is a board-certified cardiologist, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and of the American Heart Association, medical director of Wellness & Prevention at Baptist Health South Florida and a well-known regional and national speaker in the field of preventive cardiology. He is the medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida and symposium director for “Cardiovascular Disease Prevention,” an annual international meeting highlighting advances in preventive cardiology. He was the recipient of the 2008 American Heart Association Humanitarian Award. Dr. Ozner is also the author of the BenBella Books title The Miami Mediterranean Diet.
Michael Ozner, Md, Facc, Faha
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-great-american-heart-hoax-economic-and-political-implications-738679.html
Using your Health Savings Account for Alternative Medicine
Posted by admin in Dental Health on November 19, 2010
Health Savings Accounts allow you to set up a tax-deductible account to pay for medical expenses that are not covered by your health insurance. These include expenses to cover your deductible, and other medical expenses like dental and eyeglasses. But many don’t realize that HSA funds can be used to pay for virtually any type of medical service, as long as it pertains to the treatment or prevention of a specific health condition.
Because money withdrawn from a health savings account to pay medical expenses is tax-free, anyone who has an HSA can funnel all alternative medical expenses through their HSA and get a tax write-off. This could include biofeedback, naturopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, aromatherapy, magnetic healing, reflexology, and the list goes on.
People who use complementary therapies are often very health conscious, and go to traditional physicians less often. So it does not make sense for them to be paying a high premium for a traditional health insurance plan with a co-pay, particularly when their medical treatments are not covered anyway. Instead, many are choosing a low cost high-deductible HSA plan.
Alternative Therapies Becoming Mainstream
Many hospitals are now offering complementary treatments. The website for the Memorial Sloan-Keating Cancer Center states that complementary therapies are used to “help alleviate stress, reduce pain and anxiety, manage symptoms, and promote a feeling of well-being.”
Some group health insurance plans are beginning to cover more complementary expenses, but there is still very little coverage for these expenses in individual or family plans. Those that cover chiropractic limit coverage to 12 – 20 visits per year, and a few will cover a limited amount of acupuncture. But very few if any cover hypnotherapy, Reiki, iridology, or faith healers.
Why Complementary Medicine
The conventional medicine practiced by most MDs is called allopathic medicine. The philosophy of this system is to treat disease and injury using counteractive methods. For instance, if you have a fever you may take aspirin to make it go down, if your cholesterol is elevated you may take a statin to reduce it, if you have heartburn you may take an antacid. The thinking is mostly focused on removing the symptoms of disease, and the primary treatment modalities are surgery and prescription drugs.
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But there are other ways to look at things. Naturopathic medicine is based on the belief in the body’s own healing powers, which can be strengthened through the use of certain foods, vitamins, herbs, or other “natural” treatments. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on ancient Chinese theories about the balance of yin and yang. Ayurvedic medicine is based on principles of movement, metabolism, and structure.
Part of the growing use of complementary therapies is a reaction to the costs, side effects, and philosophy of conventional allopathic medicine. Physicians get much of their continuing education from the pharmaceutical industry, and they work in an environment where the insurers and the patients are both looking for a quick fix. The result is that the average 60 year old is now taking 5 regular medications, yet there is little expectation that those drugs will ever cure the health problems for which they’re being used. Many consumers see this, and instead are using other methods to try to get to the root of their illness.
What is Considered a “Qualified HSA Expense”
Qualified medical expenses have been partially defined in IRS Publication 502, and through various federal court rulings. There is no definitive list, but there are really very few restrictions as long as the procedure is for the treatment or prevention of a specific health condition. For instance, you could not use your HSA funds to pay for a relaxing massage for your own personal pleasure. But if your doctor recommends you get a massage for specific medical reasons, this is considered a qualified expense. Yoga would not normally be considered a qualified medical expense, but it would be if it was recommended as a physical therapy following some sort of accident.
Some may question why the government would give a tax deduction for someone to use some crazy energy vibration machine to cure their cancer. But this is as it should be. No one but you should be able to decide what type of treatment you will use for your own illnesses. By empowering individuals to manage their health as they see fit, HSAs encourage personal responsibility and help loosen the monopoly on healthcare that conventional medicine has had for the past few decades.
Wiley Long
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/using-your-health-savings-account-for-alternative-medicine-88415.html
Teeth Whitening: How Can I Whiten Teeth From Home?
Posted by admin in best teeth whitening on November 19, 2010
A Teeth Whitening method is often looked on as an essential process. One of the main reasons why people prefer to adopt the methods of a teeth whitening procedure is because they have an advantage of getting their teeth whitened from home. While the overall process of teeth whitening was merely limited to the safe confines of a dentist’s chair, the concept changed when our lives changed for the worse. Owing to our hectic lifestyles, the need of the hour was to adopt a technique which could easily be used and executed from home. Well, here is how you can hope to whiten your teeth from home.
Choose A Well Known Product
One of the biggest advantages of opting to whiten your teeth from home is the convenience factor. You can now hope to cleanse your tooth by simply searching for a suitable product. While there are various traditional methods available in the market today, very few are actually effective. As compared to a gel or a whitening strip, it has been noticed that a cleansing swab is supposedly the best possible means of maintaining the overall health of your teeth. Hence, it is in your best interest to choose a cleansing swab from an online store. Along with a cleaning swab, you would also be provided with a jar of cleaning powder.
Choose A Schedule To Whiten Teeth
The next step to ensuring a pair of sparkling white teeth is to fix a suitable time table. Once you have a packet of swabs and the jar of whitening powder in place, the next step is to try and make sure that you fix a suitable time to whiten your teeth. The best time to cleanse your tooth should be sometimes early in the morning. You may also do so before retiring to bed. Once you have a schedule in place, it becomes all the more easy, to try and maintain the overall health of your teeth.
Use The Cleansing Swabs As Directed
In order to whiten teeth from home, you need to follow the correct application procedure. In simple words, you would be required to first check the instructions manual. While it takes just a few seconds to go through the instructions book, very few of us actually care to do so. The result is a disaster. While using a cleansing swab, you simply need to snap it in two halves and dip one end inside a jar of cleaning powder. The swabs are filled with a special liquid which has the ability to absorb just the right amount of powder. Hence you need not worry about the measurements. Thereafter, you simply rub the swabs over the stained tooth in a clockwise direction.
Be Consistence In Your Performance
Once you have completed the application procedure, you would find a drastic transformation in the color of your teeth. Within seconds, your stained tooth would be sparkling like new. Likewise, you need to remember that in order to maintain the luster and color of your teeth, you need to try and make use of a cleansing procedure on a regular basis. Cleansing swabs, as we have earlier discussed, are the best possible means of maintaining the true color of your tooth. Taking cue from the above statement, you need to use these swabs at least twice a week. If you whiten teeth using a cleansing swab, you would never ever complain of a discolored tooth.
Mark M Morris
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/teeth-whitening-how-can-i-whiten-teeth-from-home-812391.html
Dental Insurance. Is it worth it or is it just another huge cost like health insurance?
Posted by admin in Dental Insurance on November 17, 2010
I find that I overpay with health insurance and don’t see much benefit.
What about Dental Insurance?
What do you think about Atena?
That’s the thing. I have to get a few cavities filled, a tooth refiled and possibly…POSSIBLY braces because I have a lot of issues with one impacted tooth (I still have a baby tooth) and a missing bridge to pull up another tooth. I don’t know!!!
health-quotes.isgreat.org – my family have this health insurance. It is affordable and has good coverage for dental issues.
Lighten The Color of Your Teeth by Tooth Whitening
Posted by admin in Teeth Whitening on November 13, 2010
Tooth Whitening is the process of lightening the color of your teeth. The methods employed to whiten teeth have been used in the world of dentistry for years. The process of whitening teeth has been found most on teeth that are mildly discolored. Teeth that have extensive staining will require a great deal of bleaching in order to remove the stains. Teeth that have been damaged and stained due to medication such as antibiotics take longer to respond to treatment and in some cases the treatment is ineffective. The degree to which the teeth whiten will vary from patient to patient. The degree to which the teeth whiten depends greatly on the structure of the teeth and the duration of the treatment.
Tooth whitening can be done a variety of ways. Most people today are opting for what is known as home bleaching. This is where you whiten your teeth by using a mild whitening solution that is retained in custom filled appliance that is worn over the teeth for a period of time during the day.
Tooth discoloration is caused by many factors. One of the leading causes of tooth discoloration and the need for tooth whitening is smoking, and coffee consumption. Coffee and smoking combined can make the teeth appear brownish in color.
Tooth Whitening works for almost everyone but there are some cases in which the treatment appears to be ineffective. If a person has dark intense stains then it has been found that the treatment of tooth whitening is not as effective as if the stains were minimal. If there is a congenital discoloration that has been present from birth then there is a chance that any tooth whitening treatment will not work. If a person has crowns, dentures and even veneers then they should seek other treatments for having nice, whiter teeth, as tooth whitening is usually not effective in these cases.
If you are interested in the tooth whitening process then you can consult your dentist and see what options are available to you. You can your teeth professionally bleached by the dentist or you can try some methods at home such as whitening strips and toothpastes both of which have been proven to white teeth effectively. There are other ways of whitening teeth. You can look on the Internet and see what you can find.
James Hunt
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/lighten-the-color-of-your-teeth-by-tooth-whitening-10091.html
Arthritis In Dogs
Our pets experience many of the same maladies as we do. One of the more prevalent physical ailments in dogs is arthritis. Dogs will experience joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue; these symptoms are also found in humans who have arthritis. Here is some information on arthritis in dogs.
Symptoms
Dogs will develop the symptoms of arthritis as they age. The most prominent symptoms are joint pain and stiffness. The dog will have difficulty getting up from a lying position or walking for long distances. The dog may limp or hesitate to climb stairs. The joints may be deteriorating with age, or they may be inflamed. The symptoms of arthritis can be alleviated with medication, exercise, and diet.
Medication
Prescription medication can alleviate arthritis in dogs faster than exercise and diet. Veterinarians can prescribe medications that alleviate pain and reduce inflammation. Some of the drugs currently being prescribed are Deramaxx, Metacam, Rimadyl, and Zubrin. These medications are available only through a veterinarian’s prescription, and they have been proven to be safe for long-term use. Medication will not provide a complete cure for a dog’s arthritis; however, it will improve the quality of the dog’s life, replace pain with comfort, and result in a happier, more content animal.
Exercise
When dogs experience arthritis, exercise is recommended to keep the animals’ joints limber and flexible. In addition, exercise provides weight control for older dogs, as they tend to acquire weight with age. Veterinarians recommend that owners who have dogs with arthritis give them light, limited exercise. The animal can withstand brief walks lasting about 15 to 20 minutes on flat surfaces. Walks can occur every two or three days. Energetic, strenuous activity should be avoided, and, if possible, dogs with arthritis should be walked on soft surfaces, such as grass or wet sand.
Diet
Diet is important for animals, regardless of their health. Dogs that experience arthritis should not be overweight because excess pounds can aggravate arthritic symptoms. In addition, a healthy diet can help sustain dental health. Two of the most popular and effective products are Iam’s Weight Control and Science Diet Oral Care. Iam’s products are sold in grocery stores, pet stores, and veterinarian’s offices. Science Diet products are sole in pet stores. In addition, Purina makes a dog food called JM Joint Mobility; this product is produced for dogs with arthritis, and it contains supplements that promote joint health.
An owner of a dog with arthritis can take a proactive approach to helping his or her pet. The owner can provide a comfortable, easily accessible place to sleep. Information on pet beds can be obtained from pet stores and on the internet. If the dog is living in an area with a cold winter climate, a heating source such as a space heater can help alleviate arthritic symptoms. Some dogs like to sleep under blankets, and they will make use of an old bedspread or comforter. Wearing a coat in inclement weather (cold, rain, or snow) will help alleviate the dog’s joint pain.
When an owner suspects that a dog is developing arthritis, it is recommended that they make an appointment with a veterinarian for a diagnostic checkup, medication, and home-care recommendations. A prompt appointment will prevent unnecessary pain and discomfort. Also, it will maintain and prolong the dog’s quality of life.
David Beart
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/arthritis-in-dogs-257527.html
Short-Term Health Insurance – What are the Benefits?
Posted by admin in Dental Health on November 13, 2010
So you’ve just graduated from college, don’t yet have a job and have just found out that you’re no longer covered under your parents’ health insurance plan. Maybe you’ve decided to leave your current job and look for a new one. Or perhaps you’ve found that perfect new job, but your new employer’s group health insurance plan is making you wait for three months before you’re eligible to use it. These are all certainly sound reasons to look into short-term individual health insurance in the state of Texas.
Short-term is as the name implies – health insurance that usually provides coverage from 30 to 180 days. There are some plans that will cover you initially for up to a year. And if your short-term need runs longer than the coverage, you may be able to renew the plan, but don’t count anything longer than 12 months.
Most short-term plans offer coverage in the event of an accident or a sudden illness. And like most health insurance plans, short-term plans may have benefit limits, which means you may be required to cover an initial deductible and make co-payments. With a short-term plan you’ll probably be allowed to choose your own doctors, hospitals, or other healthcare providers. You’ll get coverage for inpatient and outpatient services, hospital room – including intensive care unit – and board charges, lab examinations, and X rays.
These plans don’t usually require a physical exam, and your coverage begins as soon as the insurer receives your application and first premium payment. Applications can be mailed in or submitted online, and you can make payments using a check or credit card. Check with your provider for complete information on coverage and the application process.
Short-term health insurance plans also have a dark side. To keep the premiums down, these insurance plans don’t offer all of the benefits of permanent plans. Most short-term plans won’t cover treatment of pre-existing conditions, which is an illness or injury that has produced signs or symptoms, or for which you’ve received treatment for as long as the past five years. And short-term health insurance plans don’t cover routine medical exams, preventive care, dental or optical care, or pregnancy and childbirth expenses.
Short-term health insurance policies are exempt from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. That means that insurance carriers issuing these policies don’t have to guarantee policy renewability, and most don’t. You can think of short-term policies as “get better fast” plans, since coverage will only last a maximum of twelve months and renewals even within the twelve-month period are not guaranteed. Suppose, for instance, you buy an initial term of three months.
If you get injured or sick, the insurance company will not renew for additional terms. You may have substantial ongoing costs associated with the injury or sickness, but no coverage. Insurers who carry short-term plans also don’t have to waive any pre-existing condition limitations for individuals who are otherwise eligible for those waivers.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a short-term individual health insurance plan, you should consider the fact that your next employer may not offer a group plan and you may not remain in your next job for very long either. That’s why many people are choosing to purchase an individual health insurance plan that is portable from job to job and will cover periods of unemployment.
In many cases, people with an individual health insurance plan will also find that they are better off keeping their current individual plan and opting out of their employer’s group insurance plan, choosing to take an increased pay incentive instead.
Pat Carpenter
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/shortterm-health-insurance-what-are-the-benefits-130616.html
My Teeth Whitening Product Reviews No. 2 – Dazzle White Pro
Posted by admin in best teeth whitening on November 13, 2010
Thanks for choosing to read the second of my Teeth Whitening product reviews. The subject this time is one of the best known brands of them all – Dazzle White Pro
You may well have heard of the Dazzle White Pro whitening system if you have been looking into teeth whitening products. One of the best known names in the teeth whitening product industry is Dazzle White Pro, and with good reason.Using this system, expensive visits to the dentist and the inconvenience of strips or UV systems are a thing of the past. In fact, Dazzle White Pro delivers the most impressive results for the lowest cost of any product like this I have seen so far.
I believe that Dazzle White Pro is actually the best all-round teeth whitening system I have seen so far. Its actually quite hard to fault Dazzle White Pro First up, it couldn’t be easier to use. No mess, no fuss, just use the stylish pen applicator to apply the gel directly onto your teeth and..well that’s it really – your done.
Unlike some of its competitors you just apply it then get on with your days business while it works, no mouth full of plastic or strips, 5 minutes later you can be on the phone speaking and no one will ever know! You can take it anywhere and use it anywhere meaning its the ultimate in convenience.
Where Dazzle White Pro excels is in the fact that it can be used for sensitive teeth. Its unique formula means that you don’t need to worry about sensitive teeth being sore, or any problems with your gums or lips.
The big question though is , does Dazzle make your teeth well.. dazzle?
Well, the answer is , of course it does, and impressively so. You see unlike toothpaste which just keeps your teeth free from bacteria and food remnants, this system uses a powerful oxidizing solution that actually penetrates the surface of your teeth and oxidizes the stain deposits. You can select your shade and keep using the product until you achieve the shade.
What I liked about the Dazzle product was that the shade graduations are a bit finer giving you more control. I liked the manufacturers honesty as well they actually tell you not to overuse the product as any misuse (of any of these products) can cause damage to your teeth.
Its been great fun doing these teeth whitening product reviews and I hope to have some more done real soon, so stay tuned as they say.
Dave Simpson
http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/my-teeth-whitening-product-reviews-no-2-dazzle-white-pro-1125585.html
Do you apply pressure to electric toothbrushes?
Posted by admin in Electric Toothbrushes on November 9, 2010
I have an electronic toothbrush and i was wondering if you apply any force on it when you’re brushing your teeth or do you just make contact with your teeth?
Only enough pressure to hold it to the tooth. My dentist said the better brushes have an automatic cutoff switch. If you use those things too much or press too hard, you can wear away the enamel. Less is better.
Teeth Whitening As A Cosmetic Dental Procedure
Posted by admin in Teeth Whitening on November 5, 2010
Teeth Whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure performed for those patients who desires a whiter teeth and brighter smile. Teeth whitening can be done to reduce discoloration and staining due to various reasons. The various aspects of teeth whitening should be known and understood to find out exactly what teeth whitening can do for you.
A number of techniques can be used to enhance the brightness of your teeth. Abrasive teeth brightening (by scaling or by whitening tooth paste), chemical whitening (e.g. bleaching), mild acid whitening, laser teeth whitening etc. are the most popularly applied techniques for better teeth whitening results.
Some whitening systems, dentists and online services claim that their system is capable of whitening your teeth by nine shades. Where as a change of maximum three shades is sufficient for a significant difference in anyone’s smile. There is no standard procedure to determine or measure the teeth color. However, the most commonly used whitening guide is the Vita shade guide. This guide distinguishes the teeth color into four basic shades: gray, reddish gray, reddish brown and reddish yellow.
Reddish brown has five levels of darkness. The other shades have four levels each. Any individual’s teeth are never same in color. Generally the eye teeth are darker than the other teeth. The front teeth are usually whitest and the molars are in a shade between these two. The objective of whitening your teeth should be to achieve optimum whiteness that gives a natural look.
Teeth whitening results is the outcome of your teeth’s structure and the type of procedure implemented. The whiteness may vary according to the procedure implemented. It also depends on the individual’s teeth structure and nature. During initial consultation for teeth whitening your dentist will adopt the procedure or recommend you a suitable one depending on your choice and requirement.
Discoloration of the Teeth enamel can be caused due to aging, staining or chemical damage to teeth. The common causes of teeth discoloration are smoking, tea, coffee and medications. Those who drink considerable amount of carbonated soft drink can also experience staining.
There are some other factors which influence the color of the teeth. Genetic factor usually plays an important role. Diseases related to teeth and the medications applied can cause discoloration of the teeth. If you suspect any underlying medical reason, inform the same to your cosmetic dentist as soon as possible.
John Porter
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/teeth-whitening-as-a-cosmetic-dental-procedure-174293.html