With a little preparation, you can make sure that you get much more from your next trip to the dentist. Your local dentist doesn't just check on the health of your teeth, they can also offer many other treatments. This website is designed to bring up the best info possible about the range of treatments a dental professional can offer you. We will be looking at dentures, tartar removal, tooth replacement and much more. While no one who contributes to this site is a trained dentist, everyone is extremely interested in researching and writing about this topic. Thank you for checking out this site.
The year 2020 is shaping up to be one for the history books with the Australian Prime Minister advising that some form of physical distancing measures could be in place for up to six months due to the Coronavirus pandemic. General medical and dental appointments are postponed while everyone in the population adjusts to new rules regarding how close people can gather. However, when your annual tooth whitening appointment is postponed due to current conditions, it is not a great idea to turn to at-home options instead and here are three reasons why.
Reduced Effectiveness
In May 2013, new regulations came into play in Australia which related to the availability and sale of tooth whitening products here. In a nutshell, if the product has up to 6% hydrogen peroxide and 18% carbamide peroxide in it, then you can buy it over-the-counter at places like supermarkets and chemists. Any tooth whitening product which has chemical concentrations higher than these percentages can only be administered by a licensed dentist. So in short, your dentist has access to the good stuff. Purchasing an over-the-counter may whiten your teeth, but it does not give you the radiant pearly whites that your dentist will achieve.
Potential For Harm
Even though you can purchase a kit at your chemist to whiten your teeth, that does not mean there is no chance of you hurting yourself during the process. The chemicals in these kits can irritate your gums, cause them to bleed or leave you with tooth sensitivity if the instructions are not carefully followed. It is not worth the risk of potential short-term or long-term damage you could sustain by doing tooth whitening at home.
Uneven Whiteness
Another common issue that occurs when tooth whitening is done at home is an uneven colour result. This regularly is caused by there being a crown or porcelain veneer in the mouth. These items do not change colour when a tooth whitening kit is used, so without due care, the result is different coloured teeth in the mouth. Having the whitening process done professionally means your dentist has tools at their disposal to ensure all teeth are the same colour.
While it is an inconvenience to wait until your dentist reopens, the safest and most effective way to whiten your teeth is to have it done by a professional. In the interim, try to reduce your consumption of tooth staining liquids and foods and remember to brush and floss your teeth twice a day to keep them clean and free of decay.
For more information on tooth whitening, reach out to your local dentist when it's safe to do so.
Share7 April 2020
