Teeth Whitening: Home Treatments Not Without Some Risk

Before you start whitening your teeth, you must consider that there is a small danger unless you are just using toothpaste.

Both professional and home treatment expose you to a small risk of mouth cancer in either gums or tongue. The dangers these days, are thankfully very small. The biggest problem you are likely to encounter with home treatment is quite sore teeth and gums.

Just be prepared for this discomfort for about a month due to the tooth enamel being stripped and bleached. If you already have sensitive teeth, it may be prudent to consult a professional before undertaking treatment.

Do Brush on Teeth Whitening treatments work? Thats a question I have been asked a couple of times recently. From my research, it appears they work a little, but they would probably be my least favoured whitening option. It is the most simple method,?.just brush on..leave overnight and instant, white teeth.

Unfortunately, its not quite that simple as saliva gets on the teeth and parts of the formula are rubbed off leaving an uneven result. Many of the brush on products also contain glycerin which leads to extreme sensitivity. If I was considering a home treatment, I would tend to favour the home teeth whitening kits that utilize a mouth tray and a special gel. New products available allow for the trays to be moulded to fit your teeth perfectly.

Sometimes I think that you "get what you pay for", but Home kits do whiten teeth for far less than you'd pay for a professional treatment.

Just do not expect to look in the mirror and see an Extreme Makeover result! Two of the most common varieties are Crest Whitestrips and Colgate Simply White. Crest Whitestrips are nearly invisible sticky strips that are worn twice a day, for 30 minutes at a time. Colgate Simply White Night is a gel that is brushed onto your teeth before bedtime.

Researchers have found that both methods work, however users often do not get the full benefits of their whitening kits is because they stop usage before the recommended time. So if you give either of these whitening methods a try?stick with it.

Beware of home treatments such as lemon juice. It's an acid and can harm your teeth and may lead to cavities and irreparably damaged tooth enamel.

The reason that lemon juice appears to whiten teeth is that it causes the teeth to lose calcium (which gives teeth some of their off-white color).

Calcium is a major component of healthy teeth, and once it is lost, your teeth become very susceptible to decay. DO NOT use lemon juice for whitening.

Author Antony Wilton is an Australian who has been researching teeth whitening and other procedures for a number of years. His regular reports are available at his popular site http://www.zoomwhiteteeth.com

More resources: