Teeth whitening isn’t black magic. There’s no dentist in the world that can wave a Harry Potter magic want and make your teeth instantly whiter forever. Whitening relies on a planned strategy, professional techniques and a long-term approach that focuses on maintenance. With these things in place, yes, tooth transformations can happen but it’s not the magic-bullet solutions that glossy ads would have you believe. We would like to put an end to five pervasive whitening myths before anyone else gets peroxide burns.

Whitening Myth #1: Whitening Is Permanent

Let’s cut to the chase, there are only two main ways of whitening teeth. You can choose between in-office treatments from a professional dentist and at-home options including whitening kits and over the counter products. The claim made by many kits, products and procedures is that they offer ‘permanent’ whitening. The truth is that no whitening procedures are permanent as certain foods and drinks will invariably cause future discoloration. Most dentists recommend using dental trays and whitening gel every six months to maintain the appearance of whitened teeth.

Whitening Myth #2: Toothpastes Are Gentler And Safer

This myth feeds off peoples’ fear that peroxide solutions used to bleach teeth can be unsafe. Whitening toothpastes may not be such a gentle way to restore teeth back to their natural color, though. The truth is that some toothpastes such as those designed for smokers who need to remove tough stains are actually abrasive and can lead to enamel damage if used over a long period of time

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Whitening Myth #3: Whitening Toothpastes Whiten Teeth Beyond Their Natural Color

Take a look at the rows of whitening toothpastes on the shelves of your local store and you’ll see where this myth comes from. Manufacturers can get away with outrageously misleading claims about how many shades lighter your teeth will be if you use their toothpaste. To understand why this may not be possible, you need to know that whitening products can only restore teeth to their natural color. If you want dazzling white teeth you will need bleaching products.

Whitening Myth #4: Light-Accelerated Bleaching Is More Effective

Dozens of in-office treatments use lights to speed up the bleaching effect. There is no peer-reviewed evidence that this works any better than hydrogen peroxide alone. The extra ‘whiteness’ is temporary and comes from the way that the lights heat and dehydrate the teeth. Lights certainly make customers happy but there are a growing number of dentists switching away from light accelerated bleaching and recommending tray-based whitening methods for more permanent results.

Whitening Myth #5: In-Office Bleaching Is An Alternative To Trays

This myth feeds off people’s desire for quick fixes. No one much enjoys using dental trays and whitening gel so adverts that promise quick fixes can be tempting. Even in-office treatments require trays to be used at home for several weeks after the treatments.This is one of the best ways to get whiter teeth in the long term. Contact a dentist in Davisville or your surrounding area for more advice.

Anything we forgot? What are some of the best teeth whitening myths that you’ve run across?