Don’t get us wrong; we love a good DIY as much as the next person. However, some things should be left to the professionals, especially when it has to do with your health. One such example is teeth whitening. DIY hacks promise to save time and money, but in the end, they take longer and could end up costing you much more than money and time.
1. You May Accidently Damage Your Teeth
The innermost layer of your teeth is called the pulp cavity, and it holds your tooth’s nerves. Next is a layer of dentin, cementum, and finally, the outermost protective layer is your enamel. When whitening your teeth, you seek to whiten your enamel. What most people don’t know is that your enamel is irreplaceable. You can never grow more enamel. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.Have you ever drank something especially acidic or eaten something very sugary and felt tooth sensitivity afterward? Even though enamel is the hardest substance in your body, it can weaken due to acids and sugars. Some of the most popular DIY teeth whitening methods—fruit peels, mashed fruit, and apple cider vinegar—rely on acids to whiten the teeth. These acids will, without a doubt, damage your enamel when using them daily and putting them directly on your teeth.The at-home teeth whitening method that you thought was saving you money will end up costing you your enamel and money to repair your sensitive tooth.
2. Your Tooth Enamel May Not Naturally Be White Enough
Another not-so-common bit of knowledge is that not all enamel is equally white. Your friend or co-worker may naturally have whiter enamel than you. Sadly, no amount of whitening will whiten your enamel to be brighter than it is naturally capable of being. Without knowing how white your enamel can naturally become, likely, you’ll over process your teeth and damage your enamel or achieve inconsistent results. When you dreamed of pearly white teeth, you weren’t expecting them to become blotchy. This is a genuine concern with at-home teeth whitening methods.
3. DIY Methods are Inefficient
DIY teeth whitening methods are inefficient. While these methods promise to save you time and money, they end up doing the opposite. You can achieve faster and whiter results from professional teeth whitening.“What about over-the-counter teeth whitening?”While slightly better than a DIY whitening, these are often inefficient, not very cheap in the end, and still unsafe for your teeth.
Consider Professional Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening is the best way to achieve healthy, pearly white teeth in the shortest amount of time. Your Spokane Valley dentist is an expert in all-things teeth and can give you the bright white results you’re looking for. At Collins Dentistry & Aesthetics, we are cosmetic dentists who are committed to helping you achieve the look you want while keeping your teeth, mouth, and gums healthy. We use Zoom! Teeth Whitening. It’s a quick procedure that will have you showing off your stain-free smile in no time. First, we will examine your teeth and gums to ensure that your teeth are healthy enough to undergo whitening. Then, we will make sure that the stains on your teeth will respond to the whitening. If we can’t remove your stains, we will offer another solution.Next, we’ll cover your lips and gums to ensure that the whitening compound won’t become irritating. Then, we pain each tooth and expose your teeth to a catalyst light. After three processes and 45 minutes, you’ll leave our office with bright white teeth. If you’re looking to maintain or for whiter results still, we will send you home with a Sapphire Lumibright kit.
Alternative Solution: Porcelain Veneers
As we mentioned, some people may not achieve the whiteness level they’re looking for with teeth whitening. People have different enamel shades, and on top of that, if your enamel is thin, you may be able to see the dark underlayers through it. If this is the case, whitening can’t make your teeth whiter. Porcelain veneers are an alternative solution to give you white teeth through cosmetic dentistry in Spokane Valley. Porcelain veneers are not actually made of porcelain, but they’re called that because of their color. Also called dental veneers, they are advanced ceramic shaped to match your teeth and are customizable to your desired whiteness. They’re water-thin sheets that cover the surface of your teeth. In addition to covering discoloration, they can close gaps between teeth, correct minor crookedness, chips, and wear, and reshape poorly shapen teeth. The porcelain veneer treatment takes about two weeks from start to finish. First, we will take impressions of your teeth, discuss your smile goals, and plan your veneers. Next, we’ll send your plans to a lab, and they will create your dental veneers. While you wait, make sure to brush and floss your teeth to keep them healthy. When your veneers arrive back at our office, we’ll call you in, dry fit them to ensure they’re perfect, and bond them to your teeth.
Teeth Whitening, Spokane Valley, WA
If you’ve been searching for a solution to whiten your teeth, make an appointment with doctors Ken and Marnie Collins. The Collins’ doctors are cosmetic dentists who can help you achieve the whitening results you’re looking for without damaging your teeth. It’s a no-hassle, no-frustration solution to showing off a bright white smile as soon as tomorrow. Call (509) 927-2273 or make an appointment online today.
