Teeth whitening has become one of the most commonly sought cosmetic dentistry procedures. Everyone experiences some sort of staining and discoloration of their teeth over the course of time, as it is natural for the teeth to become less white as we age. An easy and usually quick way to improve the color of one’s smile is to undergo teeth whitening. When you think of teeth whitening, harmful side effects are probably the last thing to cross your mind. Since so many whitening products and systems are readily available to society today, how can teeth whitening be unsafe? In most cases, teeth whitening is not only effective, but safe as well, especially when administered by an experienced dentist, but when teeth whitening is administered by an untrained provider, whitening can have disastrous consequences.
In the hunt for a cheaper alternative to actually going to the dentist, some people decide to go to unlicensed and non-professional providers who offer teeth whitening services. This has become especially common in the U.K. so much so that the government has acted to tighten the regulations behind teeth whitening products as well as hoping to cut down on the number of non-professional practitioners who whiten teeth. Places such as a beauty salon now regularly offer clients the chance to undergo teeth whitening. However, this is can be unsafe. In fact, the U.K. government pointed out that often times results do not last and patients suffer from adverse side effects when teeth whitening is done improperly.
Parliamentary undersecretary of state, BIS Edward Davey has pushed for more awareness, even though teeth whitening as a whole, when done properly, is a completely safe practice. He pointed out that many non-dental professionals use chlorine dioxide, a chemical that provides temporary results and can cause extreme damage to teeth. He also pointed out that some practitioners are using professional-grade products, usually with a hydrogen peroxide content of 38%, which is a powerful acid and, when applied without the use of safety guards, can burns the gums and other tissues.
While some have taken a relatively easy and simple dental procedure and turned it into something that can have painful results, here at Dr. Dunayer’s dental office, we only offer top of the line whitening techniques. You can depend on Dr. Dunayer for a whiter smile using technology that is proven to be safe and effective. Contact our office today if you want to brighten and whiten your smile — safely!