While everyone wants a nice bright smile, there are a lot of myths surrounding teeth whitening that are patently false.
Teeth Whitening Will Damage Enamel
This is false only in the case of teeth whitening done by a dental professional; they have the tools and knowledge on how to perform teeth whitening correctly without any issues. However, any beauty salons that offer teeth whitening are both doing so illegally and there is a risk of enamel damage in this case because there is no professional present.
Rubbing Fruit On Your Teeth Can Help with Stains
This is patently false. Rubbing fruit on your teeth can actually damage your teeth thanks to the acids in fruit working with the acids in other consumed foods to wear away the enamel and discolouring the teeth. It is highly advised to wait at least 20 minutes after consuming acidic foods to brush your teeth; brushing too soon after consuming food acids can speed up tooth wear.
Teeth Will Stay Whitened Permanently
How white your teeth stay after initial treatments depends on your lifestyle-including drinking items commonly associated with staining such as wine, coffee or tea, and smoking. However, it is highly unlikely that your teeth will go back to the original colour; it is recommended by renewing the whitening every few months.
Active Charcoal
There is simply not enough scientific evidence backing charcoal as a whitening agent. It is better to stick to more traditional options and dental professional services.
Whitening Makes You Look Unnatural
As whitening is a progressive treatment, there is no chance of suddenly having blindingly white teeth out of the blue. With at-home whiteners, you are able to control the rate of whitening and stop at whatever stage you feel happy with. There is also a finite level of whitening achievable, which depends on your teeth’s initial shade.
Teeth Whitening Causes Sensitivity
Ideally, teeth whitening should not hurt, so if there is anything like burning or stinging, you should stop that treatment immediately. However, a little sensitivity is not uncommon, but this can be managed via special formulas; treatments using carbamide peroxide or ACP (amorphous calcium phosphate) cause less sensitivity. Using a mouthwash daily also helps.
Serving the Sarnia region, Slipacoff Dental Centre is your go-to family dentist. We provide a wide range of dental services, including teeth whitening, while our welcoming and informative staff are dedicated to putting you at ease and making your visit as comfortable as possible. For more information on our services, call 519-542-5658 or email us at [email protected].