Why Is Whitening Toothpaste Abrasive?
Whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives, or chemicals that are used to strip the stains from your teeth. These abrasives are often made of hydrated silica, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and hydrated aluminum oxides. There have been studies that suggest the abrasives further eroded enamel, specifically those abrasives made of pyrophosphate associated with hydrated silica. Additionally if you have sensitive teeth, the abrasives can actually hurt when you brush your teeth. So if your enamel is already weakened or you have sensitive teeth, you might want to skip the whitening toothpaste.Is Whitening Toothpaste Effective?
Whitening toothpaste is not worth the abrasiveness because while whitening toothpaste can clean surface stains on teeth, they can’t change the color of your teeth if the stains are below the tooth’s surface. Bleaches that are found in some whitening toothpastes are also useless because they’ll get washed away as soon as you spit your toothpaste out, before they have any time to do anything. Depending on how abrasive your whitening toothpaste is, you could also wear through the enamel to expose the teeth’s dentin which is yellow in color and can actually make your teeth look even more yellow. If you have mild surface stains, whitening toothpaste might be ok, but you’ll have to be careful that it doesn’t damage your enamel.How Should You Whiten Your Teeth?
If whitening toothpaste isn’t very effective, what’s the best way to whiten your teeth? If you want a whiter smile achieved in a healthy, safe way, you might want to consider professional whitening, which will be overseen by a dental professional who will expertly apply the whitening agents so you don’t have to. If you are worried about your enamel health, but still want a whiter smile, dental veneers may be the answer for you. Veneers are thin, porcelain caps that go over your discolored teeth and are made in whatever color is desired.
If you are interested in whitening your teeth, contact us to schedule a consultation so we can figure out what treatment is best for you.
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