Is teeth whitening worth the effort? In this post, we will be looking into this matter to establish whether or not this is something you want to get into.
Teeth Whitening Can Be Painful
To kick things off, teeth whitening can be a painful process. There are chances that you will experience some level of pain during the process. Here are some of the things that can be expected:
- Teeth whitening strips can cause the gums to become irritated.
- Teeth whitening agents can cause damage if used incorrectly.
- Teeth whitening can cause tooth sensitivity.
- Teeth whitening can be painful.
Teeth Whitening Doesn’t Last Long
Oh, alas. If there’s one downside to the whole teeth whitening process, it’s this: Your pearly whites won’t stay that way forever. Teeth whitening is not permanent and you will have to do it again in the future. So if you’re fine with touchups every few months or years (results vary), then you should be good to go.
Teeth Whitening Can Damage Your Enamel
It’s true, that teeth whitening can damage your enamel. Tooth enamel is a very hard, thin layer of tissue that protects your teeth, however, it is also porous and therefore subject to staining or damage from bleaching products.
If you’re using a product with too high of a level of bleach, your teeth might end up discoloured and require additional treatment to remove the stains caused by bleaching. For example, if the bleach is highly concentrated, it may make the yellowish dentin layer underneath the white enamel show through more than usual.
This can give you an unnatural grey or yellow appearance depending on how much dentine shows through.
Teeth Whitening May Make Your Teeth Sensitive to Hot and Cold
Applying a whitening gel to your teeth means that you are removing stains from the enamel, which is the outermost layer of teeth. The process of removing these stains also removes a tiny amount of enamel.
When this protective layer becomes thinner, it exposes the dentin—the layer underneath the enamel—which can result in increased sensitivity. In addition, if you don’t follow the directions for using teeth-whitening products properly, your gums may become irritated and inflamed, causing tooth sensitivity.
If you decide to proceed with bleaching your teeth and experience discomfort or pain because of sensitivity, talk to your dentist about it so they can recommend appropriate steps you should take to minimize it.
Whitening Your Teeth May Not Make a Huge Difference in Your Appearance
If you’ve already decided that you want whiter teeth, then, by all means, proceed. But if you’re on the fence about it because you think having whiter teeth will give you a new lease on life, I’m here to tell you that it probably won’t make much of a difference.
The change is subtle enough that only someone who really knows your smile will be able to notice it (and if they can pick up on any colour change in your teeth, they’re probably going to be an enamel-destroying dentist).
You might have better luck getting similar results from taking a photo with flash or just wearing lipstick or blush every once in a while. Because really, the best way to make your teeth look whiter isn’t in the shade of your dentine; it’s in getting some colour into the rest of your face.