Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure to brighten or whiten your smile. There are many misconceptions regarding this treatment.
One of which is that teeth whitening is a permanent treatment and the effect of the procedure remains forever. The truth is your brightened smile will only last for about 6 to 8 months or even less if you are a smoker or a drinker. This duration of the treatment is highly variable; it varies from patient to patient.
Another very popular myth regarding teeth whitening is that it is a very expensive procedure. You can easily brighten your smile by at home teeth whitening kits from the market which will cost you much less than the in office teeth whitening procedure.
Another misconception about teeth whitening is that It will make your teeth sensitive. Yes, teeth whitening does make your teeth sensitive because we apply a bleaching gel that dehydrates the tooth but this effect is temporary. The sensitivity will last for a few days only and then your teeth will go back to feeling normal.
Many people think that they must visit a dentist to achieve their desired color. This is true teeth whitening can be easily achieved with at home whitening kits, provided that the quality of the product used is up to the mark and it is correctly used according to the instructions.
Another very popular myth about teeth whitening procedure is that it can work for anyone or anything. Whitening procedures will not work on your crown veneers, denture, or any other restoration in your mouth. Teeth that are stained grey or blue because of trauma or medications will not be whitened by this procedure. However brown spots which are present since birth can be lightened by this procedure but they won’t be completely gone. Some people also think that using home remedies can whiten their teeth like acidic fruits. This will only harm your enamel and do more harm to your teeth than good.
If your teeth are already sensitive, then your dentist will discourage you to get this treatment done because whitening may make your already sensitive teeth even more sensitive.
If you have cracks in your teeth due to an imbalanced bite even, then your dentist will discourage you to get this treatment done because the whitening gel contains hydrogen peroxide which will irritate your teeth even more because of the presence of cracks.
Many patients think that because the sensitivity effect is just temporary, there’s no need to treat your sensitive teeth while whitening. The fact is toothpaste containing potassium nitrate a nerve-calming agent ‘should be used ideally before, during and after the treatment to manage your sensitivity symptoms.
There’s nothing like getting your teeth whitening procedure by a professional because over the counter whitening kits are not very safe and effective if not used correctly. You may apply more than the required gel which may cause damage to your enamel. Or you may not be able to protect or seal the gums perfectly which also puts your gums at risk. The teeth whitening gel contains hydrogen peroxide which is a very powerful and strong irritant too so it should be used with caution.
