Do you whiten your teeth? Have you considered the risks of teeth whitening? You may not know but it may actually do more harm than good.
Studies have shown that regular use of teeth whitening products can potentially add to the aging process if used regularly. Also it can lead to the development of some other health problems. If you haven’t heard about this, it’s time for you to be informed. It’s a topic of which you should be aware.
Teeth whitening has become popular as a quick and easy way of “de-staining” teeth to make them look whiter. It is not, however without risks and has been found to cause several serious health issues.
Damage to enamel
There are risks from the use of the whitening agents found in teeth whitening products. Though teeth whitening products do work, you may not be aware of the risks. You could end up dealing with more problems with your teeth than you had before using the whitening products.
Almost all teeth whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide. This can lead to increased tooth sensitivity.
These treatments can lead to damage to the enamel of your teeth, leading to the development of cracks or chipped teeth. The use of whitening products is especially dangerous for young children.This is one of the major types of teeth damage.
In addition to the damage to your tooth enamel from the excessive application of whitening agents, some other major types of teeth damage may occur.
Gum disease and periodontal disease
The occurrence of gum disease and periodontal disease has been found to be associated with the regular use of whitening products. When exposed to these products regularly, it’s not only your teeth that can experience a great deal of damage.
Shrinking of the gums can occur, resulting in periodontitis, root damage leading to minor tooth decay and even tooth loss. You may end up with problems far worse than the discoloration of your teeth.
If you have already developed some of these symptoms, there can be problems with further deterioration of the enamel. If the enamel of your teeth becomes fragile, the plaque and bacteria that form on the surface can eat away at the enamel, leaving it eroded.
So teeth whitening can result in permanent damage and won’t give you the long term results you are hoping for. The damage and deterioration of the enamel are not able to be reversed once they have happened.
So before you start treatment make sure you understand the risks of teeth whitening. Make sure that you know what the long term effects might be. It’s natural to want to improve your smile but you need to weigh up the pros and cons of teeth whitening before going ahead.
A friendly smile is one of the most attractive features you can have. But is the colour of your teeth the most important factor? Maybe, maybe not.Many would say that a welcoming smile and fresh breath are all you really need.
If you are self conscious about your teeth and it inhibits you smiling and chatting to people, see a dentist. It may be that there are alternatives to teeth whitening that would be a better choice. Maybe veneers would be an option. Obviously this will be more expensive but would be a longer term solution. They will also be able to suggest the safest options and give advice on how to avoid the increased sensitivity issues.
Only you know whether once you have considered the risks of teeth whitening you want to go ahead. If you do, then bear in mind the risks are cumulative. So you may want to at least cut down on the frequency of treatments.
