Having a fresh, white smile is known to boost confidence, especially during the holiday season when your social life ramps up! For as long as dentistry has been mainstream, teeth whitening has been a popular cosmetic procedure. It has gotten to the point where people are easily able to find whitening tips on the internet or over-the-counter whitening treatments. Some of these tips are neither accurate nor effective, and it is important to differentiate which tips are which. We want to help! In this blog, we debunk common teeth whitening myths and give you ways to make your whitening experience as effective as possible. Let’s get your smile sparkling for the holidays!
Teeth Whitening Treatments
You may remember a time or two when you used Crest Whitestrips or brushed with baking soda and didn’t get the whitening results you expected. We have all been there! Luckily, there are effective ways to get your smile as white as possible. We have some encouraging tips to share with you!
- Professional whitening will last longer than over-the-counter options. This is one of the many reasons professional or dentist-approved take-home whitening treatments are the best options. You will get more for your money and your teeth will dazzle for even longer!
- You cannot whiten an implant or crown. There are many ways around this! If you consider having your teeth whitened but are about to get an implant, try whitening them before the implant is put in.
- You can whiten your teeth at home! Most dental offices, including ours, offer take-home whitening kits. These kits are much more effective than drugstore whitening options and just as easy to use!
- Good oral hygiene will prolong the effects of my whitening treatment. Your results will last longer if you stay on top of your oral hygiene! This includes brushing, flossing, using mouthwash, and going to your dentist every six months for a routine cleaning!
It is always good to hear different viewpoints, including on teeth whitening. However, certain tips you will find online are pure myths. Here are a few of the most common misconceptions regarding teeth whitening:
- Baking soda is an effective DIY whitening method. An extremely common way people try to whiten their teeth at home is by brushing them with baking soda. Many people don’t know that baking soda can mess with the balance of bacteria in your mouth. This can eventually lead to oral health issues.
- Whitening toothpaste works well. Many household name companies sell toothpaste that is advertised as a whitening product. There are two main reasons why you should not use whitening toothpaste as your primary brightening technique. The first is that the chemicals that whiten your teeth need to be in contact with them for an extended period to work, not just the couple minutes it takes you to brush your teeth. The second reason is self-explanatory: whitening toothpaste costs more than regular toothpaste!
- Over-the-counter whitening options work just as well. While these options can make your teeth look a little brighter, they will not give you the same results as whitening with a professional will. Professional whitening is safe, effective, and worth the time and money!
- At-Home Teeth whitening will remove all of your stains. Depending on what types of stains are on your teeth, this may not be true. Certain people are more prone to long-lasting stains on their teeth, such as smokers and coffee drinkers. In addition to this, our teeth tend to yellow as we get older, which will, in turn, make them more difficult to whiten.
At Tyler Family Dental, we want to help you make the most informed oral health decisions possible. We hope our tips on teeth whitening are able to do just that! If you’re interested in getting your teeth whitened, we offer both in-office and take-home whitening. You can call us today at (903) 597-3940
if you would like to schedule an appointment or have any questions on teeth whitening. We want to help your smile shine for the holidays! Click here for wisdom teeth recovery.