We’ve all done questionable things to get a beautiful pearly white smile.
After all, it’s so easy to fall into bad bleaching habits. With more than 45 million Americans who have professionally bleached their teeth, you’ll notice that the teeth whitening industry has flourished, and there’s a product (or ten) that fits a variety of preferences and budgets.
That doesn’t mean that they’re good for your oral health, especially in the long-run. If you’re unfamiliar with the top teeth whiting mistakes, no worries. We’ve got you covered. Keep on reading for our top nine teeth whitening mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Teeth Whitening Mistakes 101: Overbleaching
Let’s start with one of the most common (and most dangerous) mistakes that people in the U.S. fall into.
As a matter of fact, this has become such a big problem that dentists have referred to it as a new condition, called bleachorexia. Overbleaching your teeth can cause a host of problems like gum sensitivities, loss of enamel, and even soft-tissue chemical burns.
It’s essential to start your bleaching process by talking with your dentist. They can determine whether you’re a suitable candidate for teeth whitening and will help prepare your mouth for the process.
For instance, the best time to bleach your teeth is right after a thorough dental cleaning. This way you’ll have a clean and smooth tooth surface, which will give you the best results.
You’ll also want to learn more about teeth whitening aftercare, which can either make your results last forever or make you feel as if you haven’t done anything.
2. Picking a Generic Dental Tray
When you skip the opportunity to get a tailor-made tray for your teeth by your dentist, you’ll have to use a generic tray.
A generic tray can lead to spillage, make you swallow whitening solution, and lead to disappointing results. All of these factors can cause you to repeat the process, which will be both bad for your oral health, as well as costly.
On the other hand, when you use a customized tray, you get to enjoy a great fit over your teeth. The bleach will be kept properly in contact with your teeth, and stay away from your gums and throat.
3. Whitening Your Teeth at a Salon
Sure, it might be a little less expensive to whiten your teeth at a salon. However, there are solid reasons why you should go to your salon for getting a facial or a manicure.
Simply put, a salon won’t have the right disinfection materials so that they can conduct a proper disinfection process of the whitening equipment. To use bleaching equipment, you must have the ability to fully sterilize it before (and after) every single use.
Unfortunately, the majority of salons won’t have this capability on hand, which can lead to a higher risk of infection.
4. Regirous Use of Whitening Toothpastes
If you tend to use a whitening toothpaste daily, or twice a day, you need to stop.
Any sort of whitening toothpaste works by removing stains on the surface of your teeth, that might have been caused by drinks, like coffee and tea. However, when you use them daily, they can actually make your teeth look much worse.
They are too abrasive for daily use and could cause severe tooth wear. You’ll want to make sure that your toothpaste doesn’t have a compound called silica, as this can remove your teeth’ surface enamel if you overuse it.
5. Treating All Your Teeth the Same Way
Some patients might be unaware of their teeth conditions. For example, if you have veneers, or porcelain crowns, applying a whitening product to them can remove the surface glaze, or even the shiny restoration part, which can make them look horrid.
When you consult with your dentist, they’ll be able to immediately tell whether you have restorations in place and will provide valid advice on how t safely whiten your other teeth.
6. Picking Your Whitening Products Online
Sure, it’s easy and probably cheaper to buy questionable whitening products online.
However, the whole premise of whitening your teeth is having stronger, healthier, and better-looking teeth. When you decide to buy sketchy products online, you’re playing Russian roulette with your oral health, and things might even backfire.
If buying things online is your only option, then at least make sure to do some solid research before making your purchase.
7. Not Having Clean Teeth Before the Procedure
If you haven’t been brushing and flossing your teeth pre-whitening, then you might run the risk of having some residue left on your teeth that can prevent the whitening substance from getting to your enamel and removing any stains.
Just make sure you’re not brushing too hard, either. You don’t want to deal with bleeding and sensitive gums.
8. Eating Acidic Fruits
If you tend to maniacally eat a whole lot of acidic fruit to brighten your teeth, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Fruits that have a low pH are very effective in breaking down the dental enamel. Unfortunately, once you’ve lost a layer of enamel, it doesn’t grow back. This can cause dental cavities, tooth sensitivity, and even gum tissue recession.
9. Doing It Once and That’s It
Once you’re going through a teeth whitening process, you’ll need to make it a frequent occurrence to maintain your pearly whites.
This is even more essential if you’re a person that consumes a lot of tea, coffee, red wine, or tobacco. All of those are staining agents, so they’ll re-stain your teeth as time goes on.
You’ll want to get your dentist’s advice on how often you should be whitening your teeth.
Ready to Blind People With the Sheer Whiteness of Your Teeth?
We know how overwhelming it can be to dip your teeth for the first time in the world of teeth whitening. With a million and one product on the market, and all of them promising amazing results, you’ll want to take a step back and do your research.
Hopefully, our guide on the top nine teeth whitening mistakes and how to avoid them was helpful to you.
Just remember to always consult with your dentist whenever you’re in doubt.