DIY Teeth Whitening Dangers

Dark-colored beverages, foods, and certain life habits can eventually cause tooth discoloration. Like many people, you’ve probably tried a few homemade teeth whitening solutions in the past. After all, many of these simple, do-it-yourself techniques are as easy as pulling several low-cost ingredients out of your pantry. Unfortunately, not only is DIY teeth whitening far less effective than a professional treatment performed by your dentist, but it can also undermine your oral health. Following are a few DIY teeth whitening dangers you should know.

Baking Soda and Baking Soda Toothpaste Can Weaken Your Tooth Enamel

While baking soda has long been valued for its impressive abilities in removing unpleasant odors and equally unpleasant stains, it’s far better suited for treating your carpet or clothing than it is for brightening your smile. Although natural and safe for most uses, baking soda is highly abrasive. Whether you use it in toothpaste or create a paste by mixing baking soda with water, using it for tooth whitening can cause severe gum irritation. It can also gradually weaken and strip your tooth enamel away. Once this essential protective layer is gone, your teeth will be more vulnerable to cavities and more susceptible to staining in the future. Sadly, few people know about baking soda teeth whitening dangers until using this product has already caused severe issues.

Charcoal-Based Cleaners

Charcoal toothpaste is currently a major trend in DIY teeth whitening. There are also charcoal tooth powders and other charcoal-based products on the market. Much like baking soda, charcoal is abrasive. It can gradually erode tooth enamel to leave your teeth vulnerable to cavities and staining. Worse still, once you lose the protective enamel on your teeth, it won’t reform. All the remineralizing products in the world will not restore damaged teeth to their original, healthy condition. One of the biggest problems with charcoal and baking soda is that they can provide noticeable, short-term improvements in some instances. However, your tooth health will decline over the long term, and new stains will likely start to form as soon as you have your next cup of coffee, your next sip of wine, or your next dark-colored food.

Over-the-Counter Whitening Products

Over-the-counter (OTC) teeth whitening products can leave your smile looking worse for wear over time. Whether you use store-bought gels, strips, or pens, you won’t find it easy to brighten the curved areas between your teeth. As a result, the flat surface of each tooth may be noticeably whiter after treatment, but the areas in-between these spaces will look severely discolored in contrast. This issue can be even more problematic for anyone with crooked or overlapping teeth.

It’s additionally essential to note that most OTC teeth whitening agents contain hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide as their active ingredient. When applied in substantial concentrations and left to sit on the teeth, both carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide can cause severe gum irritation. Although many OTC product manufacturers advise against getting their solutions on soft tissues, it’s virtually impossible to keep them from dripping and running in the wet interior of your mouth. Not only can they leave your gum tissues and inner cheek red, irritated, and inflamed, but these products can also leave noticeable white spots on your gums after prolonged or repeated exposure.

Applying Citric Acid for Whitening

Citric acid works well as a whitening agent on the skin. People use citric acid-based solutions to naturally brighten their hair or remove noticeable sun spots, melasma, and hyper-pigmentation across the visage. However, just like charcoal and baking soda, citrus juice, and other citric-based applications can strip the enamel off of your teeth. Although you can certainly enjoy all of your favorite citrus fruits without risking significant enamel loss, you should never let the citric acid sit on your teeth for an extended period.

Why Professional Teeth Whitening Treatments Are Always Best

Many homemade teeth whitening agents can only lighten your teeth one or two shades. Moreover, if these products strip away your tooth enamel in the process, they can open the door to further tooth staining and widespread oral health issues. If you want brighter, whiter teeth, you should always have whitening services performed by a professional. You’ll get far more impressive results, and you can avoid all of the most common do-it-yourself teeth whitening dangers.

If you’re unhappy with the color or overall appearance of your smile, we can help. Contact your local Fortson Dentistry office today to learn more about our whitening treatments or schedule a consultation appointment.