Teeth whitening is the process of lightening the color of your teeth. Even though teeth whitening is a common dental procedure, it is often accompanied by many myths. Avoiding these misconceptions will help you save your hard-earned money and maintain the health of your teeth. Here are the top teeth whitening myths that you should never fall for!

1. Teeth whitening myths that you
should never fall for

2.  Painful and Uncomfortable Procedure
Some patients experience some degree of
discomfort during the teeth whitening
procedure. This is more common among
patients with sensitive teeth or pre-existing
dental conditions, such as cavities.
However, these conditions are rare, and the
majority of people won’t feel a thing during
such procedures.

3. For example, people that use over-the-
counter whitening products may suffer from
tooth sensitivity, and thus, will feel pain when
getting their teeth whitened.
A dentist will also employ safety measures
and protective wear to maximize the
patient’s safety and comfort.
With proper care, precision, and the right
safety measures, teeth whitening sessions
can be as comfortable as it gets.

4.  Use OTC Whitening Products Instead
Most over-the-counter products have
whitening chemicals in them that don’t really
make much of a difference to your teeth. The
teeth-whitening chemical can work for a while.
It can rub off surface stains, but the long-term
use of the teeth-whitening product erodes the
enamel – a strong barrier that helps protect
the inner layers of teeth, including the pulp
and dentin.

5. With the erosion of these protective layers,
your teeth are then exposed to harmful
bacteria that can cause all sorts of problems
for your oral health.
Your teeth won’t become permanently white
with these products. Once the whiteness is
gone, you will need to use the teeth whitening
product again.

6.  Teeth Whitening Is Permanent
Some people think that once you get your
teeth whitened, it lasts forever. That’s far from
the truth. Stains and cavities may accumulate
on your teeth’s surface when exposed to
different kinds of foods and drinks.
Keep in mind that tea, coffee, wine, and
candies act as yellowing agents, and they
may transfer color to the enamel.

7.  Through a professional teeth whitening
process, the deposits may go away, but this
is not permanent. They may start to form
again when your teeth may come in contact
with the above-mentioned foods and drinks.
Generally, the sparkly white color holds for
up to a year or two and may even stay
longer with regular dental maintenance.

8.  At-Home Teeth Whitening Is Just As Good
As In-Office Teeth Whitening
There are many DIY teeth whitening techniques
that you can easily do at home and enhance the
color of your teeth. Some of those techniques
include applying baking soda, hydrogen
peroxide, lemons, and strawberries, or oil on
your teeth.
You must know that not all of these methods are
scientifically proven. Some of them may work,
but it may take a while (often a couple of tries)
to get the desired results.

9. The amount of time it takes to whiten the
teeth depends on the degree of
discoloration of your teeth. Usually, it takes
only a single visit (30 to 90 minutes) to
make your teeth whiter.
However, if you have extremely yellow
teeth, it may take more than one visit to
change the color.

10. Cleaning your teeth with baking soda is a
good example of this, as it takes a few tries
before the baking soda starts to affect your
teeth. Plus, the whitening action may not last
for a very long time.

11.  Individuals of All Ages can Consider Teeth
Whitening
This is not quite true. Tooth whitening for
children is strongly discouraged. This is because
the bleach in the teeth whitening formula may
cause a child’s teeth to become incredibly
sensitive. It may also damage the nerves inside
their still-developing teeth.
Once teeth whitening treatments are over, you
are asked to take additional care of your oral
health.

12. Adults are mature enough to follow directions
and protect their teeth, but children are often
careless and may risk damaging their gums,
teeth, and soft tissues.
Due to these reasons children should not get
their teeth whitened.

13.  Whitening Gives You a Fake Smile
A simple teeth whitening treatment can make
your teeth lighter by 2 – 9 shades. However,
some people go overboard with teeth whitening
procedures. They may get their teeth over-
whitened, which can give them a not-so-
attractive smile.
You smile, in this situation, may start to look a
little fake if the procedure isn’t done correctly.
This is why it’s important to visit a dentist for
such a procedure. They know exactly what to do
to ensure that you get just the right amount of
teeth whitening.

14.  Extremely Intense Light or Lasers Are
Required to Achieve Best Results
Dentists actually make use of LED lights for
teeth whitening that are gentle on both your
teeth and gums.
They produce excellent results when paired
with approved whitening agents like Zoom
Whitening, which is what we use here.

15. Don’t be a victim of these prevalent teeth
whitening myths. As always, if you’re
concerned about the treatment or have some
questions, the best thing to do is visit your
dentist.
They will be able to answer all your questions
and help you make the right decision.