Are At-Home Bleaching Solutions a Good Teeth-Whitening Option?

The aesthetics industry has been expanding massively lately. The beauty industry has been earning billions of dollars all across the world. People have been placing a lot of thought into how they look in the eyes of other people. The fashion industry has also impacted all of us as we see models who look so perfect appear in front of us on our social media apps all the time. Most models go through surgeries to enhance their looks, but we all know the process is costly and requires a huge budget.

Well, this is nothing to worry about when it comes to your teeth. You can get your teeth aligned, whitened, cleaned by visiting an orthodontist. Most people might not be able to afford or might not be able to get the time to visit an orthodontist so what they do is that they start performing certain procedures at home which might not be safe.

What solutions do people use in homes commonly?

Baking Soda

Baking soda without any doubt has the ability to fight against bacterial infections. It is often mixed with different ingredients available at home. These ingredients include water and hydrogen peroxide. Some people also mix baking soda with a variety of different fruits and vegetables. Although the results are very slow some people still believe that baking soda is an efficient way of whitening your teeth.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another commonly used home-based remedy for whitening. Most people mix it with water to lower its intensity. They mix water and vinegar and gargle with this mixture before brushing their teeth. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial qualities that can help you improve the appearance of your teeth, but the results are not very long lasting and you have to be persistent. It is believed that apple cider vinegar has the capacity to remove all stains and plaques in the teeth.

Banana Peel

Some people also apply the banana peel to their teeth to make them appear whiter. Banana peel can be cut into slices and rubbed over the teeth. Let your mouth rest for 5 minutes and then rinse with warm water. Banana has very high levels of potassium and manganese, which can help you whiten your teeth.

Applying Coconut or Sesame Oil

Coconut oil is also used as a do it yourself remedy to attain whiter teeth. The process involves rubbing a little bit of oil on your finger and applying it on your teeth. Coconut oil is believed to remove stains and plaque from teeth, making them look aesthetically more pleasing. The procedure with sesame oil is the same and it is often considered to be more effective than coconut oil by most people.

Why Are These Alternatives Bad?

While the above-mentioned remedies look easy to follow most people have trouble in persistently incorporating them into their lifestyles. Most people stop following up on them because the results are so gradual. People often want instant relief from yellow teeth and therefore these remedies fail to help.

Home-based bleaching procedures may also prove to be harmful to the enamel of your teeth. Any excess of bleaching agents can damage your enamel, making your teeth more prone to cavities and increased sensitivity. You can read the negative effects of bleaching teeth to increase your understanding and to stop depending merely on these DIY home based remedies.

With all home remedies, there will be myths attached. Before moving to the appropriate ways of teeth whitening let's go over two of the most common myths associated with teeth whitening:

Whitening Procedures Last FOREVER

Most people get a whitening procedure done by an orthodontist and believe it will never go away. They stop taking care of their teeth and continue to adopt an unhealthy lifestyle which is harmful to their teeth. Whitening does not last forever and therefore you should never stop taking care of your teeth even after a dental procedure.

Everyone can Whiten their Teeth

Everyone has a different set of teeth and therefore the same procedures cannot be applied to everyone. The results of different procedures vary from patient to patient. Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women should be given separate treatments. Everyone’s teeth should be assessed and treated accordingly.

Solutions

Prevention is always better than cure so if you start adopting the right lifestyle and start caring for your teeth you will never have to worry about teeth whitening. You should avoid smoking as cigarettes have harmful chemicals which can leave stains on your teeth. You should avoid consuming alcohol, fizzy drinks, and other beverages. Tea, coffee, red wine should not be consumed every day as these also stain teeth. Consumption of fast food and soy sauce should also be managed as over-consumption of these can also harm teeth.

Since prevention is not easy and people do get stains on their teeth, there is a lot more to do than following the DIY remedies mentioned above. According to New York teeth whitening expert, Dr. Marc Lazare, patients who want to get their treatment done at home can get custom fitting trays and can use a hydrogen peroxide-based solution on their teeth for over 30 minutes. Patients also use whitening kinds of toothpaste, whitening flosses, whitening chewing gums, and many other products to help achieve whiter teeth. These products barely help them and so we suggest professional whitening for teeth procedures for all those candidates who are not satisfied with how their smile looks. Home-based remedies will only help dedicated people who are regular at performing them.