Are you one of the countless people walking through the aisles of their local drug stores, trying to find the whitening kit that could brighten up their smile? While teeth whitening in Cameron Park is more popular and accessible than ever, these over-the-counter kits don’t usually give the best results. You’ll want to avoid the most common teeth whitening mistakes to achieve your best smile.
Top Teeth Whitening Mistakes
Using Whitening Toothpaste Every Day
Did you know that using over-the-counter whitening toothpaste for more extended periods can ruin your smile? While these products promise to give your smile a polished effect, they contain abrasive components that can cause gum recession and painful tooth wear. For this reason, dental health experts recommend using multi-purpose fluoride toothpaste daily.
Forgetting to Brush and Floss Before Whitening Teeth
While nothing’s wrong with taking a longer lunch break to get your teeth whitened before heading back to work, you wouldn’t want to skip brushing and flossing before your treatment. Otherwise, food particles and plaque will prevent the bleaching agents from seeping into your tooth enamel and down to the stains. Unless you prep your tooth’s surface before whitening, unwanted residue will interfere with the brightening process.
Overusing Whitening Strips
Although whitening strips are an affordable way to achieve a brighter and whiter smile, overusing them or leaving them on longer than recommended will do more harm than good to your pearly whites. Besides hurting your gums, prolonged use will cause bright splotches and increase tooth sensitivity.
Rubbing Strawberries on Teeth
Strawberries contain acids that cause enamel erosion. For this reason, intentionally rubbing them on your teeth and letting them sit for more than five minutes will trigger the onset of an erosive process that dissolves the enamel. Since lost enamel won’t grow back, using this teeth whitening method will eventually cause you to experience tooth sensitivity, decay, and gum tissue recession.
Using One-Size-Fits-All Whitening Trays
Store-bought whitening trays or whitening kits purchased online are usually one-size-fits-all. Since they weren’t specifically designed to fit your mouth, they make the whitening process unsafe and unpredictable. These ill-fitting trays will likely cause the whitening gel to spill over or leak, causing tooth damage and gum irritation. In addition, saliva can deactivate the gel’s bleaching properties.
Trying to Whiten Dental Restorations
Do you have dull or dingy-looking dental restorations, such as bonding, veneers, or crowns? You should know that no amount of whitening solution can brighten them up. These restorations are made of composite materials that don’t respond to bleaching agents. For this reason, you may need to replace old dental work before you whiten your teeth.
Failing to Maintain the Results
It’s important to note that the results you get after your whitening treatment aren’t permanent. If you want to keep your teeth bright for as long as possible, you’ll want to quit smoking tobacco and steer clear of highly pigmented foods and beverages that could leave stains on your newly-whitened teeth. If you can’t live without your ice-cold, dark-colored soda, it’s best to drink it through a straw.
Not Seeing a Dental Professional
It’s best to consult a dentist before experimenting with at-home teeth whitening kits. Otherwise, you’ll risk dealing with long-term effects that may adversely impact your oral health.
Considering Professional Teeth Whitening in Cameron Park?
At Forest Ridge Dental Group, we’re dedicated to providing quality dental care using the latest technology in a safe and comfortable environment. If you’re ready to achieve a brighter and whiter smile, contact us today to make an appointment.