Discolored teeth are the most common cosmetic complaint people have about their teeth. A combination of aging and exposure to staining food, drink, and other sources can make your teeth have an unattractive and unhealthy color. Because of this, there’s a high demand for teeth whitening. In response to this demand, many people have developed teeth whitening options.

However, these teeth whitening options are not all good choices. Some teeth whitening options can damage your teeth. So, how do you choose the best options for whitening your teeth? Here are some factors to consider.

Home Remedies Are Potentially Dangerous

One teeth whitening option we do not recommend is home remedies. None of these are proven effective, and many of them are damaging to your teeth.

If you research teeth-whitening home remedies online, you will come across many potential options. Some notable recommendations we’ve seen in the past include brushing with strawberries mixed with baking soda, brushing with activated charcoal, gargling vinegar, and brushing with turmeric paste. Many of these remedies can stain your teeth, and others can be damaging.

In particular, avoid teeth whitening home remedies that are acidic or abrasive. Ironically, these are the teeth-whitening remedies that might seem most effective. That’s because they remove the stained outer layer of your teeth to expose a whiter layer of enamel underneath. You might think this is good, but it’s dangerous and can lead to more discoloring of your teeth in the long term. The acid and abrasion create a rough tooth surface. Not only is this surface more prone to staining, but it can be more vulnerable to decay because it’s easier for oral bacteria to accumulate on the surface.

Your teeth aren’t like a solid wood table that you can sand to reveal natural wood grain underneath a stained or painted surface. They are like a veneered wood table, with a thin layer of enamel on the outside with darker dentin underneath. If you scrape or erode the tooth enamel, you will reveal this darker part of the tooth, which is also softer and more vulnerable to decay.

OTC Teeth Whitening Is Safe When Used Properly

In contrast to home remedies, teeth whitening treatments you buy over the counter (OTC) are safe when used according to instructions. They use whitening compounds closely related to those used by professionals but much weaker. These compounds mostly attack stain molecules, essentially leaving your teeth unharmed. As a result, OTC whiteners are proven to be safe and give real, if modest, results.

If you see your dentist regularly and know your teeth are healthy, there is nothing wrong with trying an OTC teeth whitener after asking your dentist if it’s safe. However, make sure you follow these rules for OTC whitening:

  • Read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly
  • Don’t use more than one teeth whitening product at once
  • Stop whitening and talk to a dentist if your teeth start to hurt
  • Stop using whitening if teeth look translucent or yellow

Following the instructions and these cautions, you can likely get whiter teeth with OTC whitening. However, many people are unhappy with the results because they aren’t bright enough or uneven, making teeth look more unhealthy.

Professional Teeth Whitening: Safe and Effective

Professional teeth whitening is the most reliable way to whiten your teeth safely. This approach is safer because your dentist will monitor your whitening to ensure it isn’t damaging your teeth. It’s also more effective than OTC whitening because your dentist can use stronger whitening compounds and increase their effectiveness with properly fitted whitening trays that seal them against dilution and destruction by saliva.

Your dentist can also control the whiteness you achieve to match the color of tooth restorations like crowns and fillings. In addition, your dentist can recommend a formula that helps prevent tooth sensitivity due to whitening.

Professional teeth whitening is the only approach that can improve oral health. That’s because you’ll talk to your dentist, who will evaluate your teeth for harmful causes of discoloration, such as cavities and erosion.

Your dentist may also recommend procedures to protect your teeth before you start whitening. In some cases, your teeth might not even need teeth whitening. They might be discolored on the surface; a quick polish can remove the stains.

Veneers: Instant Whitening

Although professional whitening is highly effective, it’s still limited by the color and thickness of your natural tooth enamel. This means there’s always a limit to how white your teeth can be. This limit may still look discolored for some people, especially if your teeth have imperfections in the enamel or within the teeth.

To overcome these limitations, you can whiten your teeth with porcelain veneers. These thin facades of advanced ceramic fit over the front of your teeth, giving them an entirely new surface. This surface can be as bright as you want.

Veneers have another advantage: they can reshape your teeth while whitening them. This can help your teeth look longer, give them a different proportion, soften their edges, create a sharper look, or even straighten them. With veneers, you are in complete control of your smile.

There are some tradeoffs. Veneers require that we remove some tooth enamel before placing them. The veneer becomes your tooth’s new surface, generally stronger and more stain-resistant than enamel. You may enjoy your brighter smile for many years. As long as you take proper care of your teeth, veneers are a safe and effective way to instantly whiten your teeth.

Get the Best Teeth Whitening for You in Detroit

If you’re unhappy with the appearance of your teeth because of discoloration, don’t wait another day to start whitening them. You can talk to your dentist first, but if you are looking for an outstanding cosmetic dentist in Detroit to help with teeth whitening, Rochester Advanced Dentistry is the perfect choice.

Please call (248) 656-2020 or use our online form today to request an appointment at Rochester Advanced Dentistry, serving the Detroit area, from our office in Rochester, MI.