Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

Instead of going to a cosmetic dentist, you may be tempted to use alternative methods for teeth whitening in an attempt to save money. While you may have read online about how at home methods can whiten your teeth just as well as treatments at a dentist office, at home methods are nowhere near as effective and may damage your teeth. Here are three home whitening methods you should avoid using on your own.

Hydrogen Peroxide

While hydrogen peroxide will cause your teeth to turn a few shades whiter, it isn't a solution that will have lasting long-term effects. Using hydrogen peroxide on your teeth could eat away at the enamel, causing serious dental problems later.

Teeth that no longer have enamel will be much softer than normal teeth. The tooth will have lost its natural protection against bacteria, and be more prone to getting cavities. This is why hydrogen peroxide in this manner should not be done at home.

A safer way to see the benefits of using hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening is to use a toothpaste with hydrogen peroxide as a whitening agent. The amount of hydrogen peroxide in toothpaste is a small and safe amount for teeth whitening. Just be cautious of continuous use of the toothpaste due to the effects on your enamel.

Whitening Strips

You may see whitening strips for sale at your local drug store, as they are advertised to make your teeth several shades whiter after only a few weeks. While they can give you whiter teeth, they may scratch the enamel away.

Before you start using white strips at home, meet with your dentist to determine which brand of whitening strips are safe for using on your teeth. After all, there is no point in using a whitening strip if it is going to cause long-term damage. Keep in mind that whitening strips will not produce long lasting results, and lead to repetitive use that can cause damage as well.

Bleaching Gel

The risk of using bleaching gel is that you can never be sure what strength the bleaching gel is. This can lead to making your teeth too white by using a gel that is too strong, or irritating your gums because you did not start with a gel that was gentle. A cosmetic dentist will walk you through using bleaching gel, and will advise you in using them safely.

By visiting a cosmetic dentist for getting your teeth whitened, it will help protect your teeth by doing it in a safe and effective way.