Teeth Whitening

Should I whiten my teeth at home?

The ultimate goal is a smile that’s brilliantly white, but the best results require a whitening solution that’s powerful enough to do the trick. Although it may be cheaper and more convenient, most store-bought whitening kits are only strong enough to remove surface stains that leave your teeth looking a lighter version of yellow — not white. By contrast, the solution we use in our dental office is significantly stronger (think of it as prescription strength), which means it will penetrate below the surface of your enamel to remove deeper stains. If you live in the 20012 area, you can have whiter teeth, faster, by simply visiting our dental office.

When comparing the home vs. professional whitening solutions, consider your end goal. If your teeth are white but are starting to turn slightly yellow, you may see some positive results with a store-bought solution. If your teeth have any stains, however, it is far better to skip this step and head straight to our office for a professional teeth whitening. If you do want to start with an at-home kit, there are a few things you should be aware of.

At-home whitening solutions must be allowed to remain on your teeth long enough to work. For products like toothpastes or pens, the solution is washed off almost immediately, leaving no time to work — and likely making no difference in the whiteness of your teeth. Store-bought whitening strips can stay in place long enough in theory, but they tend to slip out of place and also lose their effectiveness.

That said, we do recommend toothpaste as part of an overall teeth-whitening treatment but not by itself. After professional whitening, the toothpaste can help your teeth stay bright.

The solution needs to get below the surface. When you’re comparing products, look for ones that say they penetrate below the enamel. Without penetrating below the enamel, you will never truly remove all of the stains. But when you schedule a professional bleaching, this will happen every time.

You can have professional teeth whitening at home. Your dentist can create trays using a professional whitening solution that you can then apply at home. It’s a best-of-both-worlds approach that will deliver impressive results and be more comfortable. Why? Store-bought whitening trays are one-size-fits-all, which means they’re typically loose, and the solution will leak out of them and into the back of your throat. This is entirely uncomfortable and completely avoidable when you use custom trays created by a dentist. If you live in Washington or the surrounding area, we invite you to visit our dental office to see how easy professional whitening is and how much more effective it can be than a store-bought solution.

What you should know about natural teeth bleaching solutions.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that natural equals good, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, some “natural” teeth whitening remedies — using lemons or limes, for example — use acid to remove stains or yellowing, which can actually damage your teeth through the process of erosion. The truth is that anything high in acid content can permanently damage the enamel on your teeth, so while they may look whiter, they may also become more sensitive.

Warning!

Do not try teeth bleaching at home without reading this warning. It is possible for you to permanently damage your teeth when whitening them at home. Each tooth is covered in a hard layer of enamel to protect what’s beneath it — porous dentin that contains your nerve endings. If the enamel wears away, the dentin will be exposed, and your teeth will become sensitive. And once that enamel is gone, you can’t replace it.

This problem is so widespread that dentists have coined the term “bleachorexia” to describe people who overuse in-store bleaching, leading to the destruction of enamel and dentin, turning the teeth to mush.

Eating and drinking with sensitive teeth can be incredibly uncomfortable, and the only way to permanently fix your teeth is to undergo a cosmetic procedure like dental bonding, or have dental veneers or crowns placed on your teeth. And just like underexposure to whitening solution won’t cause any results, overexposure can cause permanent damage through enamel erosion.

If you are looking to save money, at-home whitening may seem alluring. But leaving teeth whitening to the professionals at Premier Dental Care can help make sure that your teeth are whitened correctly by using the right amount of solution and removing it before reaching the point of irritation. It also reduces the risk of increased dental expenses down the road due to damaged teeth. If you live in the 20012 area, schedule a professional bleaching by calling (202) 723-2400 so that you can receive the results that you want without the risk.