Here’s a brief guide to different teeth whitening approaches–which ones work and which ones don’t–or can even damage your teeth.
Folk and Home Remedies: Skip
There are many different approaches to whitening your teeth that people will say you can and should make at home. By and large, these are completely ineffective, so there’s no point in trying them.
Even worse: some of these home remedies can actually be damaging to your teeth. They can often strip away your tooth enamel, resulting in permanent discoloration, sensitivity, or serious tooth damage. So it’s best to avoid these remedies to protect your teeth.
Whitening Toothpastes: Skip
There are many toothpastes that advertise they will whiten your teeth. Unfortunately, most of them are highly abrasive and can be as damaging to your teeth as home remedies. It’s best to avoid whitening toothpastes unless one is recommended by your dentist as being appropriate to your situation.
Over-the-Counter Whiteners: Try
There are some remedies in your grocery store or drugstore that can actually whiten your teeth. Chemical whitening strips and trays can actually whiten your teeth. They’re worth a try.
However, be aware that their whitening power is limited. You may not be happy with the amount of whitening you achieve with these approaches. You may also not be happy if the awkward trays or strips only whiten part of your teeth, which can make their appearance worse than ever.
In-Office Whitening: Try (If You’re in a Hurry)
Many dentists offer one-hour whitening sessions that are supposed to dramatically whiten your teeth in just one visit. Although you can see some significant whitening of your teeth with this approach, the actual amount of whitening can be disappointing.
But if you find that you need to get your teeth whitened in a hurry, then this is a good approach that you can try.
At-Home Whitening: Try
However, many dentists–like us–prefer to offer take-home teeth whiteners. These won’t give you instant results, but they can give you better results over time. We offer KöR Teeth Whitening, which involves take-home whitening trays and uses some of the strongest teeth whitening compounds available. Having tried many teeth whitening approaches, we strongly believe that this one gets our patients the best results.
Porcelain Veneers: Try
Porcelain veneers will whiten your teeth, and you can get them as white as you like. You’re not limited by the whiteness or thickness of your natural tooth enamel, the color of your dentin, or any other properties of your natural teeth.But you should only get porcelain veneers to whiten your teeth if other methods don’t work or if you’re also trying to correct other problems with the appearance of your teeth. Crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, chipped teeth, and more can all be corrected at the same time as your teeth are whitened.
Are You Looking for Help Getting the Whitest Teeth?
If you have tried a few whitening methods but have been unhappy with them, Beyond Exceptional Dentistry is ready to give you beyond exceptional teeth whitening results. Please call (912) 234-8282 today for an appointment with a Savannah cosmetic dentist.
