Teeth Whitening: The Basics You Need to Know for a Beautiful Smile

If you are thinking about teeth whitening there are basic facts you should be aware of before heading down the grocery aisle.  Otherwise, you could end up buying a product that won’t work or will make your teeth feel sensitive.  As a dentist office, our priority is your health so while we want your teeth to be white, we also want your teeth to be healthy.  With that in mind, we want to encourage you to whiten your teeth safely.  Here is what you should know –

The Risks 

Whatever you do, be careful not to whiten your teeth too often.  The hard outer layer of your teeth is called enamel, and you only have a limited amount of it.  Unlike your hair, this isn’t something you can shave off and have it grow back.  The problem, however, is that a lot of home remedies do exactly that.  They contain acid that will eat away at your enamel, and while your teeth may appear whiter, they can also become more sensitive – permanently. The same holds true for overusing store-bought whitening solutions.  If you use them too frequently, your teeth will become sensitive.  When you visit our dental office, this won’t happen because we will ensure that the proper amount of solution is used, that we only whiten your teeth when they are infection free, and that you walk out of here with teeth that feel and look great.

The Failures

If you try to whiten your teeth using a store-bought whitening tray, there is a good chance that the solution will leak into your mouth – yuck!  This causes a lot of our patients to give up but don’t worry, a tray that we create will fit perfectly and without the leakage.  It makes sense really… a tray that fits everyone can’t possible fit you perfectly.  Whitening pens and toothpaste are also likely failures because the solution can’t sit on your teeth long enough to make much of an impact.  It is washed away quickly so your teeth may appear brighter, but the stains will still be there.  Teeth whitening strips have a similar problem since they tend to slip out of place.

The Rewards

When you visit our dental office and have a teeth whitening procedure, you can expect dramatic and safe results.  Our whitening solution is stronger than anything you can buy in the store and will penetrate through your enamel to start whitening below the surface of your teeth. These dramatic results will have you smiling from ear to ear, without having sensitive teeth. You can either have a professional whitening procedure in the dentist office or have custom whitening trays created for you.  Both work perfectly well so which one is right for you really depends on personal preference.  The key is to have your teeth whitened under the care of a dentist to ensure that you don’t end up experiencing erosion and sensitivity for your efforts.