The Top 10 Methods for Teeth Whitening

There is no shortage of crazy ways people will try to lose weight, and whiten teeth. We are suckers for diets and DIY teeth whitening.

This article will try and help sift through the harmful garbage from Do It Yourself Teeth Whitening, but the weight loss you are on your own with.

We are going to go down the top ten list of the most popular options for teeth whitening. Not all options are equal however, so pay close attention to the commentary. Let’s begin...

10. Baking Soda and Lemon

For this list we will go from the worst option to the best option and coming in at number 10 is Baking Soda and Lemon. This concoction is so damaging to your enamel just the thought of it will make your Dentist sob. Rubbing something so abrasive on your teeth while scorching them with acid is not going to whiten your teeth as much as melt them out of your head.

9. Salt and Strawberries

This is a very close runner up for the worst possible idea, and for the exact same reason. Leaving a horrible taste in your mouth should be a warning that you need to rethink your life choices. The abrasiveness of the salt and the acid in a ripe strawberry is the one-two punch that will KO your enamel, and give you lasting oral issues.

If this happens, be sure to drop by the best dentist in Virginia Beach for help.

8. Coconut Oil Pulling

I do not know who comes up with these insane ideas, but this one is almost as bad as numbers nine and ten, just not on your teeth. Oil Pulling does nothing for your teeth but could have a devasting impact on your lungs from oil aspiration. Swishing oil around in your mouth for 10 or 15 minutes (some even say 20 minutes) is not good for you. Tiny particles of oil are inhaled and the participant can get lipoid pneumonia for their trouble. Swallowing this oily mess is even worse because of the bacteria, and toxins produced. Stay away from this silliness.

7. Tumeric

Again with the abrasives. This not only tastes disgusting but will also scrape the enamel off of your teeth. Turmeric is a spice used in cooking similar to Ginger. Once it is dried and made into a powder it is used as toothpaste only much more abrasive. Save the Tumeric for cooking it is not good for teeth.

6. Activated Charcoal

This one should be higher on the list for the danger it can pose to some of the people using it. Anyone on medication should seriously reconsider using activated charcoal to whiten teeth. It is very abrasive for sure and will cause the enamel to thin out and allow damage to occur. That is the GOOD news… The bad news is that if you are taking medication it absorbs that medication and leaves you vulnerable. First Responders and Doctors use Activated Charcoal in overdose and poisoning victims every day. Bottom line is if you want to tear up your teeth and make the medication you are taking vanish, by all means, use activated charcoal on your teeth.

5. Orange, Lemon, and Banana peel

This one is just silly. Using the inside of a banana or orange peel to whiten teeth does not work. There is no discernable harm in trying this nonsense, but it will not be effective on intrinsic stains in your teeth. The outside of your teeth are easy to clean and the slightly abrasive albedo of an Orange or Banana peel will do the trick. Intrinsic stains are inside the tooth and no amount of rubbing a banana peel on them will get past the enamel.

4. Teeth Whitening Pens

These handy little pens brush the gel onto teeth and once the five or ten minutes is up viola’ bright shiny white teeth!!! Not so fast… Whitening pens do not work nearly as quickly as other methods (if at all). The gel is almost identical to the gel in a home kit except with a home kit you use the gel for far longer, and with a LED light provided. Easy to use and convenient, pens provide the control that some other methods lack.

3. Teeth Whitening Strips

These plastic strips are pre-coated with whitening gel and worn on the teeth for 10-15 minutes. Used with or without an accelerator light these strips can cause serious damage to teeth and gums if not used correctly. Prolonged exposure to hydrogen peroxide gel can make the teeth and gums very sore so use these with caution. Do not fall asleep with these plastic strips in place either.

2. Teeth Whitening Home Kit

If you want a great whitening experience and do not want to break the bank, using a high-quality home kit might be your best option. These kits can be used when needed and for as long as they are needed. No waiting in the Dental Office, sitting for hours in the chair or pain and sensitivity from the gel. The gel in the Home Kit is a weaker version than you will find in a Dental office. It gives the user more control in the process. Whiten as much or as gently as you want.

1. Dental Office

If we are just discussing whitening teeth as the issue then dental office wins. It is once you add in the negatives and possible negatives that home whitening makes more sense. Time wasted for the treatment to begin, waiting for the process to finish, and the sensitive teeth that come after the procedure, are all serious drawbacks for many patients not the least of which is the price. Dental Office Whitening will run you $500 - $1000 sometimes even more.

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