Ask any dentist and they’ll tell you the same – beware misleading marketing messages! If the promises of product manufacturers were to be believed, something as simple as a tube of overpriced toothpaste would be all you need for flawless white smile for a lifetime. Not to mention, a lifetime of pure happiness – all those smiley folks on the ads painting a real positive picture of it all.
In reality, a surprising proportion of over-the-counter dental products don’t even come close to fulfilling their promises. Worse still, some can actually do a number on your oral health, therefore should be avoided entirely.
OTC Whitening Products
For example, OTC whitening kits are the products of the moment. Right now, millions of men and women of all ages are layering weird and wonderful gels on their teeth, in the hope of benefiting from a Hollywood-white smile at a rock-bottom price. The problem being that not only do most OTC whitening kits fall short of the mark in terms of results, they can also harm your teeth if used incorrectly.
This is where the main issue with OTC whitening kits lies – one size does not fit all. Your teeth are 100% unique in terms of their layout, colour, composition and so on. Hence, what works for one person might not work for you at all. Leaving the gel on for too long can result in sensitivity or chemical burns, poor-fitting trays can cause gum irritation and so on. It’s also worth bearing in mind that as OTC whitening kits aren’t officially regulated by the government, you’ve technically no idea what goes in there…or if they’re safe.
Long story short – always consult with a reputable dentist, before going ahead and whitening your teeth. This way, they can at least advise you on a safe product that isn’t going to do more harm than good.
Natural Toothpaste
What’s advertised as ‘natural toothpaste’ is unnecessary and usually not worth buying for two main reasons. First of all, there’s the fact that non-natural toothpaste (as in the generic stuff) is comprehensively safe to use. Hence, you’re not actually benefiting in any way by switching – you’re simply wasting money.
Secondly, quite a lot of natural toothpastes on the market right now do not contain any fluoride. In which case, they offer next to no protection whatsoever against tooth decay and cavities. Ask almost any dentist worldwide and they’ll tell you that if it doesn’t contain fluoride, it isn’t worth using. That is, unless you are specifically advised against using fluoride products, either by your physician or your dentist.
Charcoal Toothpaste
This stuff has also become exceptionally popular and trendy as of late. The idea (apparently) being that the activated charcoal in the toothpaste effectively gets to work on surface stains, ultimately building towards a brighter and whiter a smile. The problem being that when put to the test, there’s absolutely no scientific (or even anecdotal) evidence to suggest that charcoal toothpaste makes a difference.
Worse still, these products are also frequently made with no fluoride whatsoever. Which means that along with doing little to nothing to improve the whiteness of your teeth, they also deny you the protection of a quality fluoride toothpaste.
At Admire Dentistry, we’re committed to offering honest and impartial advice on all aspects of dental health and cosmetic improvements for teeth. We offer a wide variety of services at our independent Family Dental Clinics, where our friendly practitioners are standing by to answer your questions and address your concerns. Call anytime to discuss any aspect of teeth whitening or oral healthcare in more detail, or pop in anytime to meet us in person.
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