The most popular
restorative dental procedure on the planet can work wonders for stained or
yellow teeth, but according to your dentist, if tooth-whitening products are
used daily, you could be asking for trouble.
Ten years ago, most
people had no idea what tooth whitening was. However, that has certainly
changed with dozens of over the counter tooth bleaching kits available to
anyone who has the desire to whiten their smile. Tooth whitening toothpaste is
now more popular than those that contain fluoride.
When used correctly
professional custom-made tooth whitening kits and even products available from
your local pharmacy will give you a brighter grin. The American Dental Association recommends that you use an over the counter product for no more
than two weeks and your custom-made bleaching kit from your dentist as
recommended. Power bleaching, or chair side tooth whitening, should only be
done once or twice a year at the most.
Over bleaching your
teeth can cause sensitivity. In fact, some suffer from sharp pains that can
happen out of the blue. If you bleach your teeth too often, you may also become
sensitive to hot and cold when you eat or drink. Some people may experience
burning gums, mild tingling, or even intense pain known as, “Zingers.”
Other problems that
can occur with over whitening, or, “Bleachorexia,” are bluish enamel, transparent
teeth and gum sensitivity. Some people who believe that their teeth are never
white enough could also be causing internal damage because of a cracked tooth
or an undetected cavity. Not only will this cause pain, but it may mean an
emergency trip to the dentist’s office for a root canal.
Your dentist
recommends that you aim for a color that will match the whites of your eyes.
Anything whiter and you run the risk of going overboard.
Thankfully you don’t
have to resort to ancient tooth whitening techniques such as ground pumice and
wine vinegar used by the Greeks, or urine, which was a favorite tooth whitening
treatment used by the Romans. These days there are plenty of products that will
give you a beautiful smile, just be sure to follow the instructions if you are
using an over the counter product or a tooth whitening kit from your dentist.
