7 Common Teeth Whitening Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

A study with over 11,000 participants found that smiling can indeed make people happier. By contrast, frowning makes people sadder, while scowling can heighten anger.

That’s all the more reason to smile than scowl, which can give you an aggressive appearance. Besides, anger and high levels of stress often co-exist, and too much of both can affect your health.

What if you don’t like smiling because you have stained teeth, though? Well, don’t lose hope yet, since you (or your dentist) can still whiten them.

However, to achieve optimal results, you must avoid common teeth whitening mistakes.

This guide lists the don’ts of teeth whitening and how to avoid such blunders, so be sure to keep reading.

1. Forgetting to Talk to Your Dentist

Teeth whitening products contain effective bleaching agents that can remove tooth stains. The most common is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and carbamide peroxide (CH6N2O3). They’re both safe, but improper use can result in unwanted side effects, such as enamel erosion.

While enamel is the hardest mineral in the body (even harder than bone), it’s thin and brittle.

Peroxide, particularly H2O2, is potent enough to penetrate the enamel and the dentin. If misused, the bleaching agents can reduce the dentin’s collagen, weakening the teeth.

That’s why it’s vital to talk to your dentist before you undergo regular teeth whitening. Your dentist has to check your teeth to ensure that it’s healthy and has enough enamel.

2. Whitening Teeth Despite Having Gum Disease

Most dentists advise their patients with gum disease to delay teeth whitening.

So, if you’re one of the 65 million US adults who have it, it’s best to put off whitening your teeth to let your gums heal first. Otherwise, the chemicals used in the procedure can irritate your gums further.

That’s another reason getting a pre-teeth whitening appointment is so important. Your dentist must look at your gums to ensure they’re healthy.

If you have irritated or diseased gums, though, you need to let them recover first. That involves taking prescription antibiotics to treat the infection.

Once your gums are healthy again, you can have your teeth whitened.

3. Not Brushing Before Teeth Whitening

Plaque is a sticky, icky, see-through film that forms on your pearly whites within minutes. It colonizes and thickens within two to six hours if left undisturbed. From there, it coats the teeth, hindering the effect of bleaching agents.

Food debris can prevent teeth whiteners from seeping into your pearly whites, too. That can result in uneven whitening, leaving your teeth with spots that are darker than the rest.

To prevent those issues, floss and brush your teeth for 2 minutes before whitening them.

4. Whitening Teeth With Tartar

Tartar, also called dental calculus, is the hardened version of unremoved plaque. It’s rough, porous, adheres to teeth surfaces, and forms above and under the gumline.

Tartar is also a common cause of stained teeth. It’s darker than enamel, taking on a yellowish or even browning appearance.

Once tartar forms on your teeth, only a dentist can remove it using tools, such as scalers. Its removal is crucial to teeth whitening since it can reduce bleaching efficiency.

Tartar also interferes with brushing and flossing. Thus, letting it accumulate on your pearly whites can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

If you whiten tartar-covered teeth, you’re likely to end up with uneven-colored teeth. That’s again due to calculus being one or a few shades darker than your enamel.

5. Expecting Too Much From DIY Whiteners

Like professional teeth whitening treatments, at-home kits also use peroxide-based bleaching gels. However, theirs contain a lower concentration of the whitening substances. That’s one of the primary reasons they cost less, but that’s also why they’re less effective.

So, if you have darker stains on your pearly whites, an at-home bleaching kit may not give you the results you want. They can still whiten your teeth, but only about one, or if you’re lucky, two shades lighter.

6. Overusing At-Home Teeth Bleachers

Not getting the results you’re looking for may prompt you to use the kits more often than what’s safe for your teeth. Remember, while their bleaching agent’s concentrations are lower, they contain peroxide nonetheless. Therefore, their overuse can still damage tooth enamel.

If you want your teeth to be several shades lighter in one go, go for professional whitening. That way, you can get your teeth treated with a higher-performance bleaching agent. Plus, you can be sure that your dentist will apply even and adequate amounts of the peroxide on each tooth.

Besides, if you go to a pro, you can expect the dentist to give your mouth a thorough inspection and cleaning. That ensures even and maximum whitening effectiveness.

7. Dismissing Teeth Whitening Aftercare

Whether you get teeth whitening from a pro or use an at-home kit, you must go on a “white diet” afterward. It involves meals and beverages that contain low levels of colorants or pigments. Examples are white fish, white meat, egg whites, dairy, and water.

The other component of the white diet is to avoid dark-colored or pigmented foods and drinks. That includes coffee, black tea, soda, red wine, and fruits with vibrant hues, such as tomatoes. It’s also best to avoid curry, chili, soy sauce, and chocolate.

Don’t worry, though, as you only need to stick to the diet for 24 to 72 hours after your treatment. You can then go back to your favorite highly-pigmented meals and drinks. Just be sure to consume them in moderation.

Avoid These Common Teeth Whitening Mistakes

It’s now easier to obtain a dazzling smile, but not if you commit common teeth whitening mistakes. Fortunately, they’re all avoidable, especially if you seek your dentist’s guidance.

So, if you want whiter teeth, the safe, quick, and effective way, consider going pro. At the very least, give your dentist a call first before you begin using an at-home teeth bleaching kit or strip.

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