Dental gel is a versatile product used for a variety of purposes, including pain relief, disease prevention, and cosmetic purposes. It is often used alongside brushing and flossing to maintain oral hygiene. Fluoride, whitening, and gingivitis gels are commonly used, and most gels are given in trays. Dental gel can also be used to protect gums during certain procedures.
A dental gel is any gel designed to be applied to human teeth or gums. Tooth gels are members of the oral care family of products and serve a variety of purposes, from cosmetics to pain relief and disease prevention. Some are administered by qualified dentists only, while others are available for home use. Gels are generally considered the best way to deliver any type of treatment to your teeth, largely due to the porous makeup of your teeth. Although teeth are calcified like bones, they are actually made of tissue and are receptive to absorption. Most varieties of dental gel are chemically engineered to effectively penetrate teeth to strengthen or whiten them, or to relieve pain.
In general, oral hygiene is the practice of maintaining the health of the mouth. Brushing and flossing are the most common oral hygiene practices, but applying dental gel also falls into the category. Tooth gels are often used alongside a regular brushing and flossing regimen to prevent dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Gels can also be used to improve the overall appearance of the teeth.
Dental gel is usually applied by a dentist, but most gels are available in milder forms at drug stores and pharmacies. Fluoride gels, hydrochloride gels, and professional whitening gels are among the most common gel treatments in the office. Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and is especially important as teeth grow. As such, fluoride tooth gel is routinely given to children. Fluoride gels generally contain the easily absorbed mineral fluoride, along with other chemical compounds to strengthen teeth.
Whitening gels, on the other hand, are usually only applied cosmetically and generally only on adults. Whitening tooth gel generally contains bleach and other whitening agents and is designed to remove stains and discoloration from teeth. Whitening gels are increasingly available for home purchase, but those applied by in-office dentists generally contain a more potent whitening formula and can usually achieve whitening in a single application. These results come at a cost, however: Dentist-applied whitening gel is usually much more expensive than drugstore-bought whitening gels.
Hydrochloride gels, otherwise known as gingivitis gels, are gels composed primarily of hydrochloride compounds designed to be absorbed into the tooth bed and gums. The purpose of gingivitis gels is to prevent or treat gingivitis, a gum disease. Gels can deliver medication more efficiently than pills or other non-topical remedies.
Most gels are given in trays. Dental gel, regardless of its variety, is divided between two trays that mimic the shape of the upper and lower rows of teeth. Dentists have ready-made professional trays, and most home remedies come with disposable trays. The trays are then inserted into the mouth and allowed to absorb for a set amount of time. Some tooth gel home remedies, especially those for whitening, are also available in the form of strips. In this case, the strip containing the gel is applied to the teeth and not removed until it is absorbed.
Other commonly commercially available dental gel products include all-purpose dental gel and pain relief gel. The all-purpose gel is, as the name suggests, intended for many purposes, from reducing the temperature sensitivity of the teeth to treating gum disease and cold sores. Pain relief gel is primarily designed to ease or temporarily reduce tooth pain caused by a variety of causes.
Dentists may also use a neutral or inert gel to protect the gums during certain procedures. When a dentist is filling a cavity, for example, or filing down a tooth, you may worry that your gums may be damaged by an incorrectly sliding instrument or dried out by prolonged exposure to air. The gels applied to the gums for protection in this type of case are dental gels as they are gels used in the mouth, but they serve no real purpose aside from protection.
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