One of the most common procedures that dental patients ask about is teeth whitening; everyone wants their pearly whites to be, well, pearly white. There are quite a few procedures that can help individuals obtain the vibrant smile that they desire, but what seems to be more provoking are the endless do-it-yourself methods that social media is blowing up with. Every day a new method is surfacing on our Pinterest boards and our Facebook newsfeeds, telling us that these bright white smiles are achievable through simple recipes and home good products. Heritage Dental is here to tell you whether these methods are effective, or simply myths.
The first method that we looked into was a mixture of baking soda and strawberries. The strawberries were to be crushed into a pulpy consistency, getting the juice of the berry out. From there, baking soda is to be added and stirred until the two are fully mixed together. Once the mixture is made, take a toothbrush and brush the mixture on your teeth. Let the recipe sit for 3 to 5 minutes, and then brush off with toothpaste, as you would normally brush your teeth. The posts say that doing this three or four times a week will whiten your teeth, but does it?
It doesn’t! The professionals at Heritage Dental have discovered that most of these ingredients create damage to your teeth more than they help them. The strawberries have a concentrated amount of citric acid which breaks down the enamel of your teeth while it sits there. The most that this recipe really does is lower the amount of plaque on your teeth, which standard brushing also accomplishes.
Teeth whitening formulas, other than the do-it-yourself ones, are also not as successful as you’d hope they’d be. These cheaper procedures are often lacking the ingredients that professionals use to whiten teeth, so while teeth may appear whiter, these products don’t provide a truly whiter result.
If you’re truly ready to achieve the smile of your dreams, contact Heritage Dental today and schedule an appointment for our Zoom teeth whitening procedure today. Our team of professionals ensures that your smile is exactly what you dreamed of!