Teeth whitening is a common cosmetic dentistry procedure used to lighten or whiten the shade of the teeth. Every year thousands if not millions of people combine to spend over $10 billion on cosmetic teeth whitening procedures.If you are thinking of getting your teeth whitened, you should first see your dentist to check your teeth for cavities and gum disease. Your dentist can also clean your teeth to remove any surface stains. Before you whiten your teeth, you should know some basic facts about teeth whitening. There is much information in ads, magazines and on the Internet about teeth whitening, but it is important to separate fact from fiction so that you can make the best teeth whitening decisions. Below are the Top 10 Myths About healthy teeth.
1. Dental insurance will pay for teeth whitening—Unfortunately, teeth whitening is considered a cosmetic procedure and is not covered by most dental insurance teeth whitening plans.
2. Whitening toothpastes bleach teeth—Very few if any whitening toothpastes actually can chemically whiten your teeth. In fact, most if not all of the whitening toothpastes contain only mechanical abrasive products that help you scrub off surface stains when brushing.
3. Once my teeth are whitened, they will stay white forever—After you get your teeth whitened, you will have to continually maintain your whitening results by periodically using whitening treatments at home. Otherwise, your teeth will slowly darken over time. Avoiding intensely colored beverages such as coffee, tea, wine, or orange juice can prolong the whitening results.
4. All teeth whitening gels are the same—There is a wide range in strength of teeth whitening products and gels. The strongest whitening gels are used by the dentist for in-office whitening procedures. The next strongest whitening gels are given to you by your dentist to be used at home. The weakest gels are bought over-the-counter.
5. Veneers, crowns, and tooth colored fillings will be whitened just like my teeth—If you have veneers, crowns or tooth-colored fillings and whiten your teeth, you may be disappointed after whitening that your veneers, crowns, or fillings no longer match the color of your teeth. This is because the whitening gel does not affect the shade of your restorations. If you need veneers, crowns, or fillings, ask your dentist if you can wait until after teeth whitening to do them. Otherwise you may need to get them redone after your teeth are whitened.