White teeth are often associated with one’s good oral health and elevated confidence. However, not everyone can have them both, especially white teeth, mostly due to their lifestyle habits. While there are several methods available today that can restore your teeth’s natural shine, not all of them work that well. Among those, professional teeth whitening procedures done at a clinic can be considered the most dependable. Even then, people have all sorts of teeth whitening myths, which often lead them to consider alternate ways, all of which aren’t the most ideal to begin with.

Some of these common teeth whitening myths are:

Myth 1: Whitening Toothpaste Can Deliver Faster Results – There are several toothpastes available today that claim to restore the natural whiteness of your teeth within a few days! While these toothpastes do have ingredients that can whiten your teeth, they are usually not there in the right proportions. So, if you have accumulated deeper stains over time, these toothpastes may not be able to do much for you. They might be able to clean the surface stains, but definitely not those that have gone inside your teeth’s enamel.

So, you can go for these toothpastes if there are very mild stains over your teeth, and even then wait for a couple of weeks to see noticeable results.

Myth 2: Whitening Strip Overuse Can Harm Your Teeth and Gums – Whitening strips are usually available over-the-counter and claim to whiten your teeth with their low concentration of hydrogen peroxide. Since they are so easy to use, many people may tend to overuse them, and may feel a slight sensation after using them, causing them to believe that these strips might be harming both their teeth and gums. While this isn’t completely untrue, teeth whitening strips are very safe to use. You, however, may want to speak with your dentist and learn more about a safe number of strips to use per day for best results.

You could always look for different manufacturers of whitening strips if one of them continues to cause irritation in your gums. Most of them would never cause such issues at all.

Myth 3: Citrus Fruits Can Whiten Your Teeth – Those who seek the most natural way are often coerced into consuming fruits like strawberries or lemons that do have certain whitening properties. What people don’t realize is that these very fruits’s acidic nature can also erode your teeth’s natural enamel over time. This can lead to heightened sensitivity, which is again a feeling you would never want to experience.

So, while you can continue to consume these fruits in limited amounts, you should consult your dentist for better ways to whiten your teeth without harming the enamel beneath.

Myth 4: Whitened Teeth Stay White for Longer – Since teeth whitening uses a lot of chemicals to do away with the stains, you may believe that these chemicals will continue to secure your teeth for a while before the stains again start accumulating over their surface. That is not true. You will need to put in every effort you can after the procedure to keep the stains away from your teeth.

Contrary to the myth, whitened teeth are more vulnerable to stains and so need extra protection and care for a while.

Myth 5: Professional Whitening Isn’t Completely Safe – In-clinic whitening procedures do require using the most concentrated amounts of hydrogen peroxide that can easily damage not just your teeth but also the gums. However, your dentist would always know of the best ways to make these strong chemicals only clean the surface of your teeth and not harm anything else. In fact, these procedures are among the safest you can ever ask for.

Your dentist’s expertise and skills will play a major role here.

Teeth whitening is all about restoring the natural white color of your teeth. It may not be white, but it will definitely be your teeth’s brightest natural color. Speak to your dentist and learn more about the benefits and precautions related to teeth whitening before going for it.