6 Worst Teeth Whitening Methods You Should Avoid

February 16, 2021, Dentistry

Probably everyone wants to have a white and bright smile since it improves a person’s appearance significantly. There are lots of ways to brighten your teeth but it’s essential to know which methods can be harmful.

Today, you can easily whiten your smile at home with the help of whitening toothpaste and drugstore solutions, or go to your dentist who will offer a whitening procedure to make your smile gleaming and attractive.

Despite the fact that white teeth don’t indicate they’re healthy, the quest for a whiter smile is extremely popular and profitable. In fact, whitening products are a $3.1 billion industry globally and teeth whitening is the number one requested dental service.

If you’re going to whiten your teeth, you should know what things you shouldn’t do when trying to whiten your teeth:

1. Using a teeth-whitening mouthwash
During teeth whitening, the solution is in contact with the teeth surfaces for a certain period of time. This allows hydrogen peroxide to break up the stain particles and brighten your teeth. Therefore, mouthwashes and rinses are not in contact with your teeth long enough to do any significant bleaching.

Whitening rinses and mouthwashes can be effective at maintaining your teeth white but they are less effective for whitening effect.

2. Brushing your teeth with apple cider vinegar or strawberries
Most natural remedies haven’t been shown to be effective when it comes to whitening teeth. The most effective methods include agents that are based on well-concentrated kinds of carbamide peroxide. Teeth whitening isn’t achievable with fruit. Moreover, fruit contains acids that could trigger erosion of the enamel. Talk with your dentist about an effective teeth whitening method.

3. Not listening to your dentist
A highly-qualified dentist will be able to tell their patient if teeth whitening is appropriate for them. Your doctor’s decision will be based on your individual dental health. Whitening won’t affect restorations, fillings, bondings, veneers, and crowns.

Certain types of tooth staining or discoloration won’t change after teeth whitening procedures and might instead need to be covered with restorative materials. A specialist will be able to tell you if any products are good options for you.

4. Using whitening strips incorrectly
Whitening strips are coated with a gel that contains the active ingredient hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. This can be problematic when these ingredients have prolonged contact with soft tissues in your mouth.

If bleaching strips are too large, the gel will irritate your gums and provoke sensitivity. You can help prevent this problem by trimming the strips to fit your mouth.

Plus, recent research has shown that the agents found in whitening strips can penetrate the outer layer of enamel into the dentin that break down the protein inside the teeth. This results in huge damage that might be repaired over time. That’s why it’s essential to follow directions on how long you wear the strips.

5. Whitening your teeth too often
If you follow your doctor’s instructions or the manufacturer’s directions, whitening treatments won’t harm your teeth. Problems occur when people use products longer or more often than they should.

Hydrogen peroxide and other acidic tooth whitening chemicals can destroy your enamel which can make your teeth weak and left without a protective layer. Overexposure often results in enamel erosion, hypersensitivity, and gum irritation, and inflammation.

6. Rinsing with hydrogen peroxide
Many people think that since hydrogen peroxide is an active ingredient in many bleaching products, they can rinse their mouth with it to achieve a teeth whitening effect. But this is actually a dangerous idea.

Bleaching is a function of concentration and contact, therefore rinsing with a solution of hydrogen peroxide won’t be effective. Moreover, this idea is quite harmful to your dental health.

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