Debunking Teeth Whitening Myths

As the name suggests, teeth whitening is the process of lightening the color of your teeth. This is either achieved by changing the intrinsic color or by preventing the development of stains. Teeth whitening is considered to be the most popular dental request across the world. After all, it can make your teeth white, sparkly, and allow you to smile without feeling self-conscious.

Even though teeth whitening is a common dental procedure, it is often accompanied by many teeth whitening myths. Avoiding these misconceptions will help you save your hard-earned money and maintain the health of your teeth. Here are the top teeth whitening myths that you should never fall for!

Teeth Whitening Myths

1. Painful and Uncomfortable Procedure

Before we dispel this myth, here’s what it is – some patients might experience some degree of discomfort during the teeth whitening procedure. This is more common among patients with sensitive teeth or pre-existing dental conditions, such as cavities. However, these conditions are rare, and the majority of people won’t feel a thing during such procedures.

For example, people that use over-the-counter whitening products may suffer from tooth sensitivity, and thus, will feel pain when getting their teeth whitened. That being said, highly-trained and qualified dentists examine your teeth first before deeming you fit for teeth whitening. A dentist will also employ safety measures and protective wear to maximize the patient’s safety and comfort.

With proper care, precision, and the right safety measures, teeth whitening sessions can be as comfortable as it gets. All you have to do is to make sure to visit a reliable and renowned dentist who will take all the necessary precautions when whitening your teeth.

2. Use OTC Whitening Products Instead

Most over-the-counter products have whitening chemicals in them that don’t really make much of a difference to your teeth. The main ingredient in a lot of these products is silica, and that’s what you should be worried about. Sure, the teeth-whitening chemical can work for a while; it can rub off surface stains, but the long-term use of the teeth-whitening product erodes the enamel – a strong barrier that helps protect the inner layers of teeth, including the pulp and dentin.

With the erosion of these protective layers, your teeth are then exposed to harmful bacteria that can cause all sorts of problems for your oral health. This can be extremely harmful to older people. Due to their age, their teeth are already weak and become weaker with the frequent use of teeth whitening products.

Other than this, your teeth won’t become permanently white with these products. Once the whiteness is gone, you will need to use the teeth whitening product again.

3. Teeth Whitening Is Permanent

Some people think that once you get your teeth whitened, it lasts forever. That’s far from the truth. Stains and cavities may accumulate on your teeth’s surface when exposed to different kinds of foods and drinks. Keep in mind that tea, coffee, wine, and candies act as yellowing agents, and they may transfer color to the enamel.

Through a professional teeth whitening process, the deposits may go away, but this is not permanent. They may start to form again when your teeth may come in contact with the above-mentioned foods and drinks. Generally, the sparkly white color holds for up to a year or two and may even stay longer with regular dental maintenance.

4. At-Home Teeth Whitening Is Just As Good As In-Office Teeth Whitening

There are many DIY teeth whitening techniques that you can easily do at home and enhance the color of your teeth. Some of those techniques include applying baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, lemons, and strawberries, or oil on your teeth. However, you must know that not all of these methods are scientifically proven. Some of them may work, but it may take a while (often a couple of tries) to get the desired results. Cleaning your teeth with baking soda is a good example of this, as it takes a few tries before the baking soda starts to affect your teeth. Plus, the whitening action may not last for a very long time.

The amount of time it takes to whiten the teeth depends on the degree of discoloration of your teeth. Usually, it takes only a single visit (30 to 90 minutes) to make your teeth whiter. However, if you have extremely yellow teeth, it may take more than one visit to change the color.

5. Individuals of All Ages can Consider Teeth Whitening

This is not quite true. Tooth whitening for children is strongly discouraged. This is because the bleach in the teeth whitening formula may cause a child’s teeth to become incredibly sensitive. It may also damage the nerves inside their still-developing teeth.

Once teeth whitening treatments are over, you are asked to take additional care of your oral health. Adults are mature enough to follow directions and protect their teeth, but children are often careless and may risk damaging their gums, teeth, and soft tissues. It is due to these reasons that children should not get their teeth whitened.

6. Whitening Gives You a Fake Smile

A simple teeth whitening treatment can make your teeth lighter by 2 – 9 shades. However, some people go overboard with teeth whitening procedures. They may get their teeth over-whitened, which can give them a not-so-attractive smile. Your smile, in this situation, may start to look a little fake if the procedure isn’t done correctly. This is why it’s important to visit a dentist for such a procedure. They know exactly what to do to ensure that you get just the right amount of teeth whitening.

7. Extremely Intense Light or Lasers Are Required to Achieve Best Results

Dentists actually make use of LED lights for teeth whitening in Dubai, that are gentle on both your teeth and gums. They produce excellent results when paired with approved whitening agents like Zoom Whitening in the Dental clinic in Dubai, which is what we use here.

Don’t be a victim of these prevalent teeth whitening myths. As always, if you’re concerned about the treatment or have some questions, the best thing to do is visit your dentist. They will be able to answer all your questions and help you make the right decision.