The Myths of Teeth Whitening Exposed by: Roger Bourdon

Despite the fact that teeth whitening has become one of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedure that people all over the world request from their dentists each year, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the treatment floating around. Myths about teeth whitening abound and this has prevented lots of people from getting the sparkling white smile that they have always dreamed about. With statistics showing that the number of products and treatments being purchased and undertaken are constantly increasing its easy to expose many of these myths and prove that whitening procedures are now a very accessible option.

One of the most prevalent myths about the process of whitening teeth is that it is painful. Although there are some stories about people who have undergone a whitening procedure and later on experienced excruciating pain after the treatment, this is an extremely rare. In the highly exceptional times that this happens it is generally with people who have failed to consult their dentist and purchased an over the counter DIY tooth whitening kit. Not that these at home treatments are unsafe, but because most of the time the person is either not a good candidate for teeth whitening procedures, or has misunderstood the instructions and applied the treatment wrong.

While there may be some slight heightened sensitivity experienced after going through an in-chair tooth whitening procedure or during the course of an at home treatment, this is generally at a very low level. People that do experience higher levels of sensitivity may have dental problems like cavities, gum problems, and allergies to the bleaching agent resulting in sensitivity issues.

This leads us to the next myth, which is, teeth whitening treatments have bleaching agents that destroy and thin out the enamel of our teeth. This is basically very far from the truth. Unlike common household cleaning bleaching agents, bleaching agents used to whiten teeth are not acidic; they contain hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide such that the whitening procedure reacts to a chemical process turning them into safe and harmless water and oxygen compounds. Most tooth whitening bleaching gels today have pH balanced formulations which allow these compounds to safely go through the many rough crevices and spaces dotting the surface of our teeth. It does so safely, scrubbing away the hardened particles which cause the stains and discoloration.

Hydrogen peroxide has been in use for more than a century now and generally recognized teeth whitening procedures makes use of this compound as their main bleaching agent. Although in large amounts the compound may have an adverse effect on the safety and risk factors, this is the biggest reason why any person that wants to undergo a such a whitening procedure should first consult a professional to get the proper treatment for them.

One teeth whitening myth that has been making some people second guess going for in-chair treatment is that accelerating lights and lasers don’t work. There are some groups who claim that lasers and special lights are merely gimmicks that some many dentists use to hype up their whitening procedures and jack up their costs. This is yet another one of the biggest misconceptions that people have,

Numerous studies have shown that these state of the art light and laser accelerators do indeed effectively speed up the process of oxidation, the method by which the bleaching agent scrubs the stains off the teeth’s surface and deep inside the enamel, making the procedure faster. Many developments in the field of cosmetic dentistry have shown results that these lights, especially with the new blue LED lights, have made teeth whitening procedures not only much more effective and quick to produce results, but also safer. Some lights though, especially those that are marketed for homer use do not have the capacity or the technology to produce the same effects as the professionally used in-chair equipment.

The best way and the safest way to dispel these myths and misconceptions is to go to your trusted dentist, if you don’t have one look for dental offices that have established a reputation and are easily found everywhere. Dental experts like Smile Science can be found in most major shopping centres and are quick to show and explain their procedures. You can see many people undergoing their cutting edge teeth whitening treatments and discover how painless, safe, and fast they can provide the dazzling white smile you have long wanted.