Most of our Catford patients probably like the idea of having a brighter and whiter smile. It is one of the reasons why teeth whitening has become such a popular cosmetic dental treatment. Teeth naturally become darker as we get older, and everyday habits such as drinking tea, coffee or red wine, smoking, and eating strongly coloured foods can all contribute to the darkening of our teeth as well.
A quick search online will show hundreds of ways to supposedly whiten your teeth at home. Some involve products you can buy, while others suggest using things you probably already have in your kitchen. Some of them can seem quite convincing, while others just seem much too good to be true, and they nearly always are!
It might be tempting to try to save money by using these DIY ‘hacks’, but things can go badly wrong, and when they do, the damage may be permanent.
Before looking at teeth whitening, it is worth understanding why teeth change colour. Some staining happens on the outside of the teeth, on the tooth enamel. This is often caused by things we consume regularly, such as tea, coffee, tobacco and certain foods. This type of staining may respond well to professional cleaning or the whitening treatments we provide at the Rushey Green Dental Practice.
Other changes happen within the tooth itself. As we age, the inner part of the tooth naturally becomes darker, and this can make the overall appearance of the tooth less bright. Not all discolouration can be treated in the same way, which is one reason why an online search may be harmful, rather than useful.
One of the most common suggestions online is to use something abrasive to ‘scrub’ away stains. Bicarbonate of soda, charcoal and other rough substances regularly appear in videos and social media posts claiming to produce whiter teeth.
These abrasive materials may remove some of the surface staining, but there is a cost in that it can also wear away the enamel that protects your teeth. Once the tooth enamel has been lost, the body cannot simply replace it. This can lead to increased sensitivity and may even make teeth look more yellow over time due to its rougher surface becoming more easily stained.
Another popular internet suggestion is using lemon juice or other acidic substances to brighten teeth. It is true that some acids can remove some stains and marks from surfaces, so the idea appears to make sense. However, using them on tooth enamel rather than a kitchen surface is likely to cause long term damage.
Acid, such as lemon juice, softens the enamel. Regularly exposing teeth to acidic substances can contribute to erosion, making the teeth weaker and more sensitive. It can also have the opposite effect to what you wanted. As enamel becomes thinner, the darker layer underneath can become more visible.
Charcoal products have become very popular in recent years, particularly on social media.
Some people like the fact that this is a ‘natural’ product and like the way that it makes the teeth feel clean by helping to remove some surface staining. Again though, this an abrasive material and can cause damage to the tooth enamel, wearing it away and exposing the tooth to problems such as sensitivity and tooth decay. This is particularly so with over-zealous brushing.
There are many teeth whitening products available online, and the quality can vary considerably. Some may contain very little active whitening ingredient, meaning that they are unlikely to produce much improvement. Others though, may cause problems because the trays do not fit properly. If whitening gel comes into regular contact with the gums, it can cause irritation or soreness.
Those bought from unreliable sources may also include much higher qualities of bleaching agents which could cause severe damage to your teeth. You should not risk this under any circumstances.
Yes, having your teeth whitened at our Catford dental practice may be more expensive than purchasing something online or following a DIY video, but these often come with significant risks and may not succeed at all.
You can be sure though, that we will diagnose the problem and provide the correct treatment to help you have a whiter smile again. The cost of the treatment can be spread using one of our treatment plans, making this more manageable for your budget.
If you are unhappy with the way that your smile looks, the best thing to do is to discuss this with our friendly cosmetic dental team who can offer advice as to the best way to improve your smile. Our treatments are safe and applied by experienced dentists, minimising any risk of damage to the teeth, unlike many online suggestions.
Don’t risk your teeth in the hope of a whiter smile, let us do it professionally for you. Make an appointment today by calling the Rushey Green Dental Practice on 020 8314 5066.
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