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Mistakes To Avoid When Whitening Your Teeth

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Teeth whitening is a popular procedure for improving your smile. Some factors that can lead to discolored teeth include age, lifestyle habits, and genetics. There are many teeth whitening options that one can use based on the severity of their teeth discoloration. However, here are some mistakes you should avoid when whitening your teeth.

Whitening Too Frequently

Many people tend to think that the more they whiten their teeth, the more their teeth will remain white and shiny. However, leaving whitening trays on for a long time can create extreme sensitivity. This may also damage your enamel.

Teeth whitening involves a chemical reaction in your enamel. The reaction releases microscopic plugs in your enamel. As a result, the bleaching agents whiten the dentin. In some cases, the bleaching agents can lead to pulpitis if the bleach does not remain in the teeth for long. Dental sensitivity resulting from frequent whitening also makes it difficult to eat and drink. Excessive whitening can also make the edges of the teeth translucent, leading to a bluish-gray look.

Whitening Bridges, Crowns, and Synthetics

You should not proceed with bleaching when you have synthetic teeth in your mouth. Bridges, crowns, and other teeth synthetics cannot be whitened. You will notice you will have an uneven smile if you whiten with these synthetics in your mouth.

You should consult a cosmetic dentist if you have synthetics and want to whiten your teeth. If you need a dental implant or synthetic tooth, you should also consult your dentist before whitening. The dentist will determine how to whiten the synthetic teeth to match your whiter smile.

Thinking That Whitening Will Work for You

Many people are mistaken to think that whitening works for everyone. The teeth darken with age. This is because, over time, your enamel becomes thinner, allowing your inner layer of dentin to be visible. This causes the teeth to turn yellow or gray. 

Whitening may work on yellow and brown stains but cannot improve the grayish color, which comes from smoking, ingesting too much fluoride, or taking tetracycline. Also, whitening does not work for people with broken teeth, gum disease, incomplete dental work, or exposed roots.

You need to resolve these issues before whitening your teeth. It is worth noting that there is an individual variation in the effectiveness of a teeth whitening treatment. Consult your dentist to determine whether teeth whitening will work for you. 


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