COMMON TEETH WHITENING MYTHS AND THE REAL TRUTH

Let’s be honest, we all want our pearly whites to be pearly white. Implants are definitely a great way to achieve that, but in the past few years there have been a magnitude of teeth whitening myths surfacing our Pinterest accounts and Facebook newsfeeds telling us we can achieve these shimmering smiles without a professional. The perks of these do-it-yourself methods is the inexpensive rate at which they come, and the ability to practice them in the comfort of your home as often as you’d like. But do they really work?

The most common teeth whitening recipe is one including baking soda and strawberries. First the strawberries are crushed into a pulp consistency. Once that is done baking soda is added and stirred until the two are fully combined. Next, the paste is put on a tooth brush and softly brushed on teeth. Once evenly spread, let the paste sit for three to five minutes and then brush off as you would normally brush. If done on a regular basis, this method should whiten your teeth.

But it doesnt.

Research has actually found that all of the do-it-yourself teeth whitening methods incorporate ingredients that, more often than not, hurt your teeth rather than help. Strawberries, for instance, contain a concentrated amount of citric acid, which breaks down the enamel of your teeth while simply getting rid of plaque.

Another ingredient often found in do-it-yourself tooth whitening recipes is lemon juice, which is also high in citric acid. Aside from these recipes, other common whitening formulas such as whitening strips and teeth whitening products have also been found to produce a less than perfect smile. While teeth may appear to be whiter, these products do not get to the base of the tooth.

What these products are lacking is hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, which professional whitening procedures are primarily made up of. While these recipes and products may be cheaper, the results are far from lacking. For the best results with teeth whitening, schedule an appointment for a professional procedurewith your dentist at Sterling Dental Center.