The Truth about Teeth Whitening

There are claims about teeth whitening everywhere, TV, social media, and in retail stores. There are even do it yourself solutions including charcoal, strawberries and banana peel.

There are toothpastes, chewing gum, mouthwash, and floss with claims of whitening your smile. There are 2 (only two) active ingredients that can whiten the shade of tooth enamel: Hydrogen peroxide and Carbamide peroxide. Any other ingredients can work as a mild abrasive (like baking soda) to remove some external stains but the will not change the color of the outer surface of your teeth. Strawberries will not whiten your teeth, banana peels will not whiten your teeth. Charcoal can be mildly abrasive as well as baking soda and remove some mild superficial stains but they will not whiten your teeth.

Best Advice: Read the label before you purchase any teeth whitening product. Look for either Hydrogen peroxide or Carbamide peroxide.  I recommend you 
use these products on freshly cleaned teeth, so be sure to have a professional dental cleaning before starting.  There are in dental office whitening products, take home disposable trays, and custom trays made by a dentist. There are many concentrations and ph variabilities in these products but all will whiten your teeth.

Remember you can use whitening rinse, toothpaste, floss and gum to help maintain your whitened smile. But these things won’t do the trick alone.

That’s the Truth about teeth whitening and that’s Beauty Observed.

Jenifer C. Back DMD
Sarasota Smile Design
3800 Clark Rd. 
941-927-5411.