If you're like many people, you may be excited to get a brighter, cleaner smile by whitening your teeth. However, you need to be sure that in your excitement, you whiten your teeth in a way that doesn't cause them lasting harm. Here are some mistakes to avoid making when you want to whiten your teeth.
Buying the Wrong Teeth-Whitening Kit
You may be considering heading off to the drugstore or a convenience store and picking up a teeth-whitening kit. Those kits typically contain strips that you put on your teeth for a period of time. You may seek out a kit that promises the best results in the shortest amount of time, but that kit may be the worst for your teeth.
The important thing to remember about these kits is that they may be harmful to your teeth. The chemicals and bleach they contain could cause the enamel of your teeth to wear away. When that happens, your teeth are less protected from bacteria that can cause cavities. Not only that, but over time your teeth may feel more sensitive to hot and cold liquids and foods because the enamel has been damaged by teeth-whitening kits. Buying a kit that contains too many strong chemicals can do the most damage.
Before you buy any teeth-whitening kit in a store, talk to your dentist about which one they recommend.
Using Too Much Whitening Toothpaste
Another mistake to avoid making is to use whitening or bleaching toothpaste for long periods of time. You may think that buying a whitening toothpaste will help keep your teeth white on an ongoing basis, but they can also damage your teeth on a regular basis.
The primary ingredient in these toothpastes is hydrogen peroxide, which is an excellent whitening agent but shouldn't be used as your primary toothpaste. When you use peroxide on your teeth too often, it can wear down tooth enamel. If you do use this toothpaste, make sure to limit your usage to a few times a week until your teeth are brighter. Then, go back to regular toothpaste for a while.
Now that you know what mistakes to avoid when trying to whiten your teeth, you can protect your teeth from damage. Finding a dentist in your area who offers whitening treatments, such as Silverado Family Dental, is the best thing to do, so you can get the brighter smile you want in a way that doesn't harm your teeth.
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