Everyone wants a bright, dazzling smile, and many people have many thoughts on how to achieve one. There is no shortage of teeth whitening options, ranging from old wives’ tales to popular whitening trends everyone wants to take for a whirl.
When it comes to your teeth, you should know they are effective and safe before you try out the latest fads. In this blog post, our team at Totally Dental helps our readers determine which methods for teeth whitening near you are the best for producing a healthy, white smile.
Natural Teeth Whitening Methods
There are many teeth whitening methods that individuals can implement at home with everyday items that they can find in their kitchens. This option for teeth whitening is especially appealing because it feels convenient and seems like an easier alternative than scheduling a teeth whitening session with our dentist near you. But do these do-it-yourself methods work and is their convenience worth the potential cost to your oral health? Here are some of the most common DIY teeth whitening methods:
- Oil pulling: this remedy involves swishing coconut or sunflower oil around your mouth for about 20 minutes daily to remove plaque and bacteria. While this remedy doesn’t contain any acid and doesn’t cause any damage to your teeth, there is no proof that this does anything to whiten them.
- Activated charcoal: activated charcoal is an abrasive and porous form of carbon that removes surface stains from the teeth. While charcoal can remove stains, its abrasiveness can harm your tooth enamel and weaken your teeth.
- Apple cider vinegar: the bacteria-killing properties of apple cider vinegar have made it a great substance for cleaning and disinfecting. Due to its bleaching properties, some individuals dilute apple cider vinegar with water and use it as a mouthwash. However, this substance is highly acidic and can erode your teeth.
Natural Teeth Whitening: Fact vs. Fiction
To help you better understand which methods are best and most effective for whitening your teeth, our dentist in NE Calgary has compiled this list of fact vs. fiction when it comes to teeth whitening near you:
- Fiction: eating plenty of fruit is an effective and safe way to brighten and whiten your smile
- Fact: one popular DIY whitening method involves eating papaya and pineapple, which contain enzymes that are thought to help remove stains. However, there is no scientific data that proves the validity of this notion.
- Fiction: natural tooth whitening is permanent
- Fact: while individuals may find some success using natural teeth whitening methods, these are only short-term solutions to stained teeth. Each of the natural teeth whitening methods mentioned in this article requires regular repetition to make an observable difference, if any difference at all.
- Fiction: DIY teeth whitening is just as effective as professional teeth whitening
- Fact: professional teeth whitening provides many benefits that DIY methods cannot. When you visit our dental clinic in NE Calgary for professional teeth whitening, you will benefit from a procedure that will ensure excellent results and protect your teeth from harm. Our team uses customized teeth whitening trays to give you the smile you have always wanted.
Interested in Teeth Whitening?
If you want to achieve a brighter, whiter smile, our team at Totally Dental can help. Please get in touch with us to book your professional teeth whitening session today!