Whitening toothpastes Archives

Many people are interested in charcoal teeth whitening. The method is more popular than ever right now, thanks to You Tube. This type of teeth whitening is using activated charcoal, which is different than the type of charcoal used on a grill. Before you attempt this new whitening technique, you should understand some important aspects of the popular craze.

What You Should Know About Charcoal Teeth Whitening

It’s a natural and non-toxic teeth whitening technique. Charcoal is used in the medical field, and as a supplement. This method is safe to consume in small doses, and is believed to be a way to detox.

Charcoal is also absorbent. It works well for removing stains from teeth because they are just soaked away.

Unfortunately, it is not safe to use on your teeth. Charcoal’s abrasiveness can scratch through the enamel on your teeth. While the enamel is tough and protects, it’s not resistant to scratches. It is more abrasive than toothpastes, which come in varying degrees of abrasiveness, therefore could be damaging to your teeth.

Finally, there is conflicting information about whether or not it actually works as a teeth whitening method. While it some claim that is works to lighten teeth, nothing has been proven clinically, or been approved as a treatment technique. Unfortunately, if the enamel on your teeth is damaged, it will never return to the healthy protective state. This will lead to more sensitive and cavity-prone teeth. In addition, the results are not as noticeable as what you would see if you went to a dentist for the teeth whitening procedure.

Traditional Teeth Whitening Options

For those who aren’t interested in the charcoal teeth-whitening bandwagon, the traditional methods are dependable options.

Having your teeth whitened in a dental office is effective due to its potency. The solution opens up the dental tubules, similar to pores on your teeth, which are closed, then allows the substance to enter and increase the whitening power. Some patients experience sensitivity following this procedure, due to the tubules taking a few days to close, but side-effect can be lessened by using fluoride for a three to four weeks prior to treatment.

Another option is a take-home system. These systems are not as strong as those in the dental offices. Therefore teeth will take longer to lighten, and may not lighten to the degree than at in-office whitening would. However, it affords you the chance to stop the process if the sensitivity is bothering you.

This article is provided by the office of Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

My sister in law tends to behave like she knows everything. It can get a little annoying. Recently I told her I’d been using a whitening toothpaste. She insists it will damage my teeth. Normally, I’d blow off her know-it-all comments, but in this case I worry she may know something I don’t. She’s a dental hygienist. Is she right? Will they damage my teeth?

Jenna T. – Virginia

Jenna,

I’m sorry you have a tense relationship with your sister-in-law. Families can be challenging. Sometimes they annoy us without us even understanding why. The fact is, your gut assumption was right. Your sister-in-law had some extra information.

Most whitening toothpastes have an abrasive ingredient. While they are effective at removing surface stains, they have two downsides.

They only remove surface stains. Most teeth stains are beneath the surface. You’ll need professional teeth whitening to truly get all those stains. I don’t know your age, but whatever it is you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out how much younger that one simple cosmetic procedure makes us look. Professional level teeth whitening takes years off our smiles.
It sabotages your efforts. That abrasive ingredient, while it may scrape off those surface stains, it also etches into your healthy enamel. This has the unfortunate side-effect of causing your feet to pick up more stains. It’s a vicious cycle: Your teeth get stained, you brush with whitening toothpaste, the stains come off, but etch your teeth, which causes them to pick up more stains.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Perry.