There is no getting away from the fact that the teeth whitening procedure is the most popular among all age groups that are eligible to have it. Even those who are not yet old enough to have the treatment carried out at a dental practice might do their own ‘research’ and decide to try to emulate their favourite pop star by having whiter teeth. This could potentially have catastrophic results as we’ll see shortly.
In today’s blog, we are going to take a look at the various ‘methods’ of whitening your teeth which you might come across with an online search. We will discuss the effectiveness of these and also the safety aspects. As you will see, paying a little extra to have them whitened professionally at your local Purley dentist is likely to be a very wise decision.
You may well come across a number of suggestions that recommend using household bleach or lemon juice to ‘bleach’ your teeth. While we would hope that most patients of Purley dental care would be wise enough to avoid bleach for very obvious reasons, there might be a temptation to try lemon juice as it is a natural ingredient. While this is true and it does have health benefits, being high in vitamin C, it is also extremely acidic. This is where the problem lies.
Not only might it ‘bleach’ the tooth to some degree but will also damage the enamel surface of the tooth that protects it from problems like decay. Attempting to whiten your teeth in this way will not only increase the risk of decay but also roughen the surface of the enamel which will attract more staining substances and therefore discolour the teeth again quite quickly and probably worse than before.
These ingredients are suggested due to their abrasive qualities which can help to remove surface staining on the teeth. Unfortunately, as with lemon juice, it will also damage the enamel surface and leave you prone to problems such as tooth decay and sensitive teeth. Even toothpastes that contain these ingredients should generally be avoided. Even though the amount of these ingredients might be less, the risk is still potentially there.
You may have seen advertisements popping up that claim to whiten your teeth quickly and cheaper by bypassing having to see a dentist. Many of these operate by asking you to send photographs and may also send you a kit to allow you to take impressions of your teeth.
We don’t recommend this method as, although it may seem similar to the teeth whitening treatment that we provide at our Purley dental clinic, there are significant differences. First of all the quality of the product may be inferior but one thing that is almost certain is that the trays won’t fit as well as those that we provide. Ill fitting trays will allow the whitening ingredient, which is a form of bleach, to come into contact with your gums, potentially causing painful and unsightly irritation.
Using this option also means that your teeth will not be examined beforehand for any problems such as decay or gum disease. If we whiten your teeth, we will always check and treat any issues beforehand.
We are now entering the ‘safer’ territory of home whitening. These products are very popular as they appear to be a cheap way to whiten your teeth. The ‘catch’ though is that they are not very successful at this. Due to safety issues, only a tiny fraction of the active whitening ingredient that a dentist can use is allowed in these toothpastes. Anyone using these should be aware that any improvements are likely to be very minor and may not be noticeable at all.
Some of these products may also contain additional abrasive materials that could cause damage to the tooth enamel, especially if you brush your teeth too often or too hard.
If you really want to have whiter teeth without risking their health, this is the way to go. Teeth whitening is one of the most inexpensive cosmetic dental treatments that we provide, yet one that produces great results. We use both Enlighten teeth whitening and Boutique teeth whitening. You can read more about these on our website. In both cases, you will be assessed and monitored throughout the treatment and we are confident that you will be happy with the results.
While most people can benefit from a teeth whitening procedure, this may not always be the most effective treatment. Anyone whose teeth are badly stained, such as through years of smoking, or whose teeth have chips or cracks or other surface damage may achieve better results by having porcelain veneers fitted. These are very thin ‘veneers’ that are attached to the front of your teeth and can be prepared in any shade you wish.
If you only need one or two veneers, perhaps because of damage, they can be matched to the colour of your other teeth. For whitening purposes, some people will have these attached to all of their visible teeth, leaving them with a great looking white smile.
We hope that our blog has deterred you from risking your teeth by using some of the more dangerous methods you might come across. There really is no better way than having them whitened by an experienced dentist to give you a beautiful white smile in safety. If you would like to find out more about the whitening treatments that we provide, you can arrange an initial consultation with us by calling Purley Dental Care on 020 8660 2928. We look forward to helping you have a whiter smile!