A white, bright smile offers many benefits. Not only will it improve your appearance, but an attractive smile can also boost your confidence level. Due to these benefits, it is easy to see why Americans spend billions of dollars each year whitening their teeth. Unfortunately, your quest for whiter teeth may cause underlying issues that affect your mouth, teeth, and gums. With this guide, you will understand the dangerous mistakes you are making when whitening your teeth.
You Skip the Dentist
Visit your local discount retailer or drug store and you will find a large selection of products designed to whiten your teeth. Continuous use of these products may decrease discoloration, but the bleaching agents can seep into damaged areas of your tooth enamel, resulting in cavities and painful infections.
Before using any whitening products, visit your dentist for a complete exam to diagnose and treat any concerns. Your dentist will most likely restore the underlying health of your teeth before offering a professional whitening treatment.
You Wear Strips Too Often and Too Long
Whitening strips are convenient options for whitening and brightening your smile at home. However, you may be wearing these strips too often and for too long. Wearing the strips as much as possible for as many minutes as possible each day may seem like the most effective way to clean your smile, but less is actually more.
Leaving the strips on your for a longer period of time can cause the bleaching agents to seep into damaged enamel, affecting your nerves and causing tooth sensitivity. Also, wearing the strips for a period longer than recommended may cause white splotches to develop on your teeth. This decreases your smile's appeal.
You Use Hydrogen Peroxide Excessively
A solution of water and hydrogen peroxide can be used as a rinse to whiten your teeth, but swishing the solution around in your mouth continuously can be too much.
To whiten your teeth using an effective and safe solution at home, consider creating a paste with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.
Combine 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Stir into a paste and use to brush your teeth. Allow the paste to remain on your teeth for a minute before rinsing. Use this paste 2 to 3 times per week only, ensuring you whiten your teeth in a gentle manner at home.
The benefits of a healthy, appealing smile are easy to see. Using this guide and your dentist's help, you will learn how to whiten your smile in a safe, effective manner. Contact a dentist, like Guerschon de Laurent DDS, for more
help.
