If you are looking for teeth whitening in Ashton-under-Lyne, you have a clear choice to make; you can see a dental specialist who will be able to carry out an effective procedure, or you can try one of the ‘hacks’ that keep on being publicised from time-to-time.
Professional teeth whitening involves using a teeth whitening gel. A cast is made of your teeth to create a mould, into which a bleaching gel can be added. These are then placed on your teeth and can be in place for hours in some cases.
Another method is to use laser whitening, when a laser is shone on the gel, a process taking about an hour.
By law, both techniques require a trained professional, which should itself be a clear signal that you could be taking a chance using ‘alternative’ DIY techniques. Dentists have advised people to steer clear of these many times.
For example, last year Dr Khaled Kasem warned Sun readers against the use of such methods, saying most are “complete fads”.
“Not only are some of them dangerous to your health but they also don’t contain the ingredients to remove any deep-set stains that are causing your teeth to yellow in appearance,” he added.
Examples he gave included ineffective stuff like turmeric or coconut. The latter is simply ineffective, while the former can actually help stain your teeth due to its orange colour, which is hardly what you want.
The worst, however, is lemon juice, which is supposed to use citric acid to break down stains. However, the same acid wears away the enamel and thus encourages tooth decay.
It all goes to show that if you want your teeth whitened, there are tried and trusted methods that work and won’t harm your teeth in the process of trying to improve them.