Just about everyone wishes that their smile was a little bit whiter. If you have a coffee habit, a smoking problem, or have just started to see your teeth discolor as you’ve aged, you may have looked into getting a whitening kit that can help your smile shine again.
You may have also noticed that there’s no shortage of over-the-counter teeth whitening solutions at your local pharmacy. However, using—and especially overusing—these products can produce serious problems. Here’s more information about why that is, and what to do instead.
How Can Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Be a Problem?
The kinds of whitening kits you’re likely to find at the store tend to be fairly ineffective. Part of this has to do with one-size-fits-all whitening trays that lead to streaky results. There’s also the fact that the bleaching solutions are heavily diluted in order to be safe enough for the average person to use.
Unfortunately, this can produce the opposite effect. When people notice that these whitening kits aren’t giving them the results they’d like, they tend to use them for longer than directed in order to get results. This leads to another problem, where the whitening solution penetrates too deep into the tooth and causes significant discomfort.
The risk of this happening is dramatically higher if you have tooth decay or, worse, an untreated cavity. Without a dentist in the mix to help you, you can’t really be sure whether your teeth are healthy enough for whitening treatment.
The Merits of Professional Tooth Whitening
For these reasons, it’s a good idea to get professional teeth whitening from a dentist that offers it if you want a whiter smile. First of all, they’ll be able to perform a thorough exam before even beginning the treatment to ensure you’re healthy enough for it.
They’ll also be able to use much stronger whitening solutions than what you’ll find at the pharmacy but will be able to adjust it so that you experience minimal sensitivity.
About Our Practice
At Gannett Drive Dental, we come to the office every day committed to providing our patients optimal oral healthcare in an office that will help to put them at ease. We truly value the health and safety of our patients, which is demonstrated fully in everything that we do. No matter what it is that you’re looking for, we’re confident that we can help you to get the care that you need.
If you have any questions about teeth whitening, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (207) 253-5600.