Introduction
A brighter smile with whiter teeth instantly boosts our confidence and makes us willing to smile more when interacting with others. Whiter teeth look healthy and adds an element of youthfulness to our appearance. Whitening treatments done by dental experts are long lasting and provide a natural looking whitening that is safe. Unfortunately, a growing number of people while appreciating the benefits of whiter teeth are opting for off the shelf or home teeth whitening kits to achieve this without being aware that it could put their oral health at risk.
The rising popularity of teeth whitening treatments
When it comes to non-surgical beauty trends, teeth whitening is said to be second in popularity only to makeup. In the modern day and age when lifestyles do take a toll our dental and oral health from the foods and drinks we consume such as coffee tea, red wine and energy drinks, to tobacco and alcohol use, all work towards staining our teeth. Teeth also tend to discolour naturally with age and medical issues and of course lack of care. Unfortunately, discoloured or yellowed teeth are considered as unattractive and can be a hinderance to making a good first impression.
As a solution to this issue more and more people turn towards home teeth whitening products and treatments which are not always the safest options. Using too much bleaching products can permanently damage tooth enamel, cause chemical burns, damage gums and even cause oral infections.
What are off-the-shelf teeth whitening kits?
Off the shelf teeth whitening are over the counter kits that can be used at home to whiten your teeth. These are considered as a cheaper option to going for profession teeth whitening treatments. Basically these kits consist of bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide which means they can help you achieve a slightly whiter smile but are not as natural looking or effective as professionally done treatments. Legally these products are only allowed to have 0.1% hydrogen peroxide or 0.3% carbamide peroxide which is actually too little to make a significant difference. Despite the small quantities, it can still be dangerous if the treatment is not done correctly.
Dangers of off-the-shelf whitening kits?
As with any bleaching products if not used accurately including the amounts and duration, then it can create long-term complications to the teeth and gums such as erosion, sensitivity and cavities. Some home whitening brands despite laws can contain more than the allowed quantity of bleaching products which is very harmful to the inner soft tissues of the mouth. Some of the oral problems caused include:
- Chemical burns
- Damaged tooth enamel
- Increased tooth sensitivity
- Irreversible gum recission in some cases
- Damaged gums
- Cause oral infections
Things to consider when seeking teeth whitening treatments
Products such as whitening toothpastes are good to help remove the immediate effects of staining but cannot produce a significant difference in the whiteness of your teeth. Using home bleaching products does pose a risk if you do not use reputed products or if you do not follow the instructions exactly. Instead of whiter teeth you may end up with oral health complications, which not only causes physical and mental discomfort but also may end up being more expensive in the long run.
Despite perceptions today professional teeth whitening treatments are not expensive and prove to be cost effective when you consider the benefits of long lasting results. Before trying to whiten your teeth at home, consider looking into professional treatments by doing a little research. This way you can gain a good idea of what is involved and how much it will cost you.
Look for reputed practitioners with proven results by checking reviews, before and after images and their industry experience. Find out the type of whitening methods they use, if they use reputed brands and if they are approved by the American Dental association. Further check if there are any follow up visits included, the aftercare tips and advice and what steps they recommend, to prolong the results of the treatment.
Begin your smile journey at our clinics in Canary Wharf and Nine Elms
Teeth whitening is safe when done by professionals and is an easy and non-invasive way to rejuvenate your smile. When beginning your teeth whitening journey with Mouth Dental you are setting yourself up for the best as our Enlightening Teeth Whitening is the perfect solution for a brighter, whiter and confident smile.
We provide B1 Enlighten teeth whitening backed by our state of the art technology and the expertise of our professional dental consultants. Our team provides quality care investing in your whitening journey taking pride in providing natural long lasting results. The two week treatment provides our patients with a natural whiter shade done by our dental consultants who are trained in the proper procedures needed to achieve even and safe results. This whitening system uses a whitening gel which is pH neutral causing no damage to the surface of the teeth or harm to the gums and is considered as one of the safest and effective whitening teeth whitening treatments.
If you are considering brightening up your smile then do get in touch with us and we will help you gain natural looking whiter teeth that you will be proud to show off.
