With the number of people who want whiter teeth increasing by the day, many have
questions about whitening teeth at home. It is safe? In what ways can it be
accomplished? Should I always consult a dentist before I go ahead and buy a kit?
To answer the first concern, whitening teeth at home can be a safe procedure,
provided you take certain elementary precautions. First and foremost, make sure
you visit your dentist before you purchase any commercially available whitening
kit. If there is any reason why using these kits might not be suitable for you,
the dentist can point this out.
Second, you must follow the instructions on the whitening kit correctly. Failure
to follow instructions is the major reason why people end up with burned gums
and other problems. Provided you follow the above two guidelines, there is no
reason why whitening teeth at home should not be about as safe as getting it
done at the dentist's office.
Apart from using commercial kits, there are some traditional remedies for teeth
whitening that you might want to try out. Here are a few.
Create a paste of salt and lemon juice and rub it on to the teeth. This is known
to help reduce the yellowish tint on the teeth.
Similarly, the white inner part of an orange peel is said to be useful in
lightening the appearance of discolored teeth. You can also try combining dried
orange peel with bay leaves to create a better whitening effect.
All the above remedies should be used frequently - it takes some time to see
results.
There are commercially available whitening products and kits on the market. One
thing to keep in mind is that bleaches using hydrogen peroxide (a very commonly
used bleaching agent for teeth whitening) are not suitable for many people.
Pregnant women should avoid using bleaches at all costs.
Likewise, heavy drinkers should avoid hydrogen peroxide because of the damage it
can do to the body. People with sensitive gums or gum infections should not use
these solutions either. The gum condition should be treated before attempting to
whiten teeth.
While experts recommend that the percentage of bleach should not exceed 0.1%,
many products contain as much as 3% bleach. Repeated use of such products may be
dangerous.
When whitening teeth at home, leaving the tray with bleach on the teeth longer
than recommended can result in damage to the teeth. The teeth may become extra
sensitive because of nerve damage and cause considerable pain.
Those with sensitive teeth may find that whitening procedures make the teeth
even more sensitive. It may be useful to brush with a medicated tooth paste
after the bleaching process to remove any residual bleach in the mouth. This
will lessen the pain and sensitivity, although the pain usually goes away on its
own in a few days.
For all these reasons, it it best to consult a dentist before whitening teeth at
home. He can assist you in choosing the right teeth whitening system and
instruct you on how to use it correctly so that the risks associated with it are
truly minimized.
