Many people dream of having a bright smile with perfectly white teeth. If this is a goal for you, you may be interested in experimenting with at-home whitening treatments. However, DIY whitening treatments aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. There are many myths and old wives’ tales about ways to whiten your teeth naturally at home. Unfortunately, most of these treatments just don’t deliver the real results. In order to get a truly radiant white smile, you’ll need professional whitening services. Mill Dam Dental Care offers professional teeth whitening and other dental services for our clients in Virginia Beach, VA. Here’s the truth about at-home whitening treatments and why professional whitening is a better option.
Popular At-Home Whitening Treatments Debunked
If you’re interested in whitening your teeth, you may have heard of some of these at-home teeth whitening strategies. Let’s debunk some of the biggest myths about at-home teeth whitening.
Charcoal
One of the biggest myths about teeth whitening is that you can use activated charcoal products to remove stains from your smile. Activated charcoal is a black powder that has traditionally been used to treat drug overdoses in emergency rooms. It is made from materials with a high concentration of carbon, which are then heated up and become more porous.
Some people claim that the absorbent, porous nature of charcoal can help whiten teeth. However, there aren’t studies to back up these claims. In fact, it’s possible that activated charcoal could actually cause more discoloration, as its dark black hue could leave gray stains on your teeth.
Additionally, activated charcoal has a rough, abrasive texture that could damage the enamel on your teeth. This could result in increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods. When your enamel breaks down, it also leaves you more vulnerable to cavities and other serious dental health problems.
Lemon and Baking Soda
Another popular tooth whitening myth is the idea of mixing lemon juice and baking soda for a brighter smile. This approach is popular because it uses ingredients that many people already have around their homes. However, there’s no evidence to suggest that this combination actually leads to whiter teeth.
In fact, it’s possible that using both lemon and baking soda on your teeth could actually have negative side effects. Lemon is highly acidic, and baking soda can be abrasive, which means that both ingredients could actually damage your tooth enamel.
Strawberries
Strawberries are another fruit that is often associated with teeth whitening. While they make a delicious and refreshing treat, strawberries aren’t actually an effective way to whiten your teeth. Like lemons, strawberries contain citric acid. This acid can make your teeth look slightly brighter after application, but the effect is temporary. Strawberries won’t remove deeper stains from your teeth permanently. Additionally, the citric acid in strawberries can wear down your enamel and make your teeth more sensitive.
Coconut Oil
Many people use coconut oil as a teeth whitening agent. This technique is known as “oil pulling”. Proponents of this technique claim that it removes stains from teeth as well as bacteria. However, there isn’t any scientific research to indicate that coconut oil actually has any teeth whitening properties. Unlike some of the other DIY treatments on this list, coconut oil isn’t inherently harmful for your teeth. However, swallowing large amounts of coconut oil could lead to digestive issues.
Whitening Toothpaste
Many leading toothpaste brands market their products as “whitening”, and customers will often use these toothpastes in lieu of getting a professional whitening treatment. If you’ve recently eaten a dark or brightly-colored food, whitening toothpaste can help prevent these foods from causing permanent stains.
However, these toothpaste formulas aren’t powerful enough to remove existing stains from your teeth. While there’s no harm in using them, it’s important to be realistic with your expectations. If you want a truly brighter smile, you’ll need to invest in more powerful products.
Why Professional Whitening Is Worth The Investment
Instead of trying your luck with these unproven DIY results, consider investing in professional teeth whitening for a brighter smile. Mill Dam Dental Care uses Sheer White, a five-day whitening process that uses a carbamide peroxide formula.
While this process does require some up-front investment, you’ll find it delivers much more noticeable and long-lasting results. If you’re looking for a whiter smile, here’s why professional teeth whitening strips are worth the investment.
Removes Deep Stains
The biggest advantage of a professional whitening treatment is that it removes deep stains from your teeth, resulting in a brighter, whiter hue. DIY treatments might temporarily remove surface-level stains from your teeth, but they can’t replicate the results of professional whitening strips. Many people have deep stains on their enamel from years of eating and drinking — professional whitening strips go beyond the surface level to remove these stains.
Long-Lasting Results
Another benefit of investing in professional whitening is that the results will last for years to come, as long as you maintain a healthy dental care routine. There’s no need to repeat treatments on a weekly or monthly basis, and you can keep your teeth looking bright with regular brushing and flossing.
The Process is Simple
Sheer White! treatments are simple and non-invasive, so you can whiten your teeth without significantly disrupting your lifestyle. The process takes five days to complete and uses advanced whitening strips that are designed to stay on your teeth comfortably. Each strip stays attached for two hours and conforms to the shape of your teeth. After you remove the white strips, the solution stays active for eight more hours.
Whiten Your Teeth With Mill Dam Dental Care
Don’t risk using at-home whitening treatments that are ineffective at best and could damage your enamel at worst. Instead, try proven professional whitening treatments to brighten up your smile. Mill Dam Dental Care offers professional teeth whitening and other advanced dental treatments for our patients in Virginia Beach, VA. Give us a call today to learn more or schedule an appointment.