Tooth whitening has become an obsession both
here in the United States and overseas with millions of people spending
billions of dollars on tooth whitening strips, pastes, gels, and mouth rinses.
Unfortunately that obsession, coined, “Bleachorexia,” by dental professionals
can actually cause serious problems for your teeth and gums.
More than ninety nine percent of adults who
participated in a study believed that having a beautiful white smile was the
most important asset with ninety-six percent believing that an attractive smile
made a person much more appealing when it came to the opposite sex. Seventy-four
percent of adults felt that a person’s career success chances could be hampered
with an unattractive smile.
According to Web MD, your quest for the
brightest and whitest teeth will not only make your teeth brittle, but can also
make them appear gray or even transparent.
Teeth will stain over time because of coffee,
tea, red wine, too much fluoride and some types of antibiotics. Tooth whitening
will only remove stains and will not bleach teeth that have been restored. If
you have dental veneers, tooth colored fillings or dental bonding, bleaching
your teeth will not cover those types of restorations. Teeth that have been
discolored because of antibiotics or fluoride may also be resistant to tooth
whitening products.
When tooth whitening is done the right way
you can have a beautiful smile, but when abused and over done, it can cause
irreversible problems making your teeth translucent and less white.
Other problems that can occur from over
bleaching include hypersensitivity. Sensitivity to hot and cold is probably the
most common complaint that people have when it comes to tooth whitening.
However, hypersensitivity will usually go away eventually.
If you bleach too much you could also have
palate, throat and gum irritation from the bleach. Some people actually become nauseous
after accidentally swallowing the tooth-whitening product.
Bleaching too frequently or keeping the
product on your teeth for too long may cause enamel erosion. If you must whiten
your teeth at home, your dentist recommends that you use an ADA approved tooth
whitening kit.
Of course, the best way to whiten your teeth
is at your dentist’s office with either a custom-made tooth bleaching kit or chair
side bleaching. If you cannot afford to have your dentist whiten your teeth,
stick with the ADA approved product list.
Don’t become a, “Bleachorexic.”
Schedule an appointment with your dentist for tooth whitening today.
