How Safe Is It to Whiten Your Teeth?

Tooth whitening has become the most popular dental procedure across Australia. Interest in achieving a bright, white smile led to an increase of bleaching and tooth whitening products like toothpaste or gels that can be used at home by consumers. The response to this interest in achieving a bright, white smile has been an increase in dental bleaching and whitening products like toothpaste, films, gels and in-office procedures.

But just how safe is tooth whitening? Can it cause irreparable damage to your teeth?

Tooth whitening is safe – most of the time

Concerns about dental whitening have led to several studies focused on the safety of these products [link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4058574/]. Fortunately, research has concluded that government-approved dental whitening procedures like One Click Smile are safe for public use as long as the manufacturer’s instructions are followed.

Some individuals shouldn’t use tooth whitening products, however, including:

  • Women who are pregnant
  • Women who are breastfeeding
  • Adolescents with baby teeth

Some may also experience temporary tooth sensitivity or gum irritation.

Your different tooth whitening options

Tooth whitening products typically fall into one of the following two groups:

  • Whitening toothpaste (also known as dentifrices)
  • Peroxide-containing bleaching agents

There are also a number of at-home whitening products you can make containing substances like baking soda and activated charcoal, but the efficacy of these products have not been tested or guaranteed.

Which product you should choose for your teeth

The type of product you choose will mostly depend on the type of staining you have on your teeth.

  1. Extrinsic discolouration

Extrinsic discolouration of the tooth enamel is the main source of dental stains. This type of discolouration is the result of our lifestyle habits, like eating, drinking, and smoking.

A lot of different items can cause extrinsic discolouration, including:

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Red wine
  • Tobacco
  • Foods with natural and artificial dyes

These stains can sometimes be effectively removed with a whitening toothpaste. The problem, however, is those whitening toothpastes are significantly less powerful than whitening gels, so the results take longer to see. If someone continues the same lifestyle which is staining his or her teeth along with using the toothpaste, the results can be negligible.

Intrinsic discolouration

This type of dental staining comes from within the tooth. It can be the result of:

  • Tooth trauma
  • Childhood illness
  • Medication use
  • Ageing
  • Infection

These stains are more difficult to treat and cannot be removed with a whitening toothpaste. In some cases, over-the-counter whitening products will be able to remove the stains, though depending on the severity of the stains the teeth may need to be professionally bleached.

Apart from the type of staining you have, it’s also important to consider the affordability of the product as well as your dental history. Natural teeth will respond differently to a tooth whitening product than a tooth that has fillings or a crown.

What makes One Click Smile a great tooth whitening product

Developed by an experienced dental hygienist here in Australia, One Click Smile is a safe and effective tooth whitening system that has been approved for use by the Federal Government. It’s a convenient and affordable way to brighten your smile in the comfort of your own home and is proven to improve your smile after just a few quick uses.

We invite you take the first steps to get the smile you deserve with One Click Smile today by visiting us at www.oneclicksmile.com.au and be a click away from an awesome smile!