An entire laundry list of causes leads to the discoloring of our pearly whites. Genetics, lifestyle choices, diseases, the natural process of aging—there are many reasons behind discolored and toned-down teeth. However, thanks to medical science, now there are professional ways to reverse the discoloration through safe and effective teeth whitening procedures.
Amid the wide-scale availability of professional teeth whitening treatments, many people still resort to home remedies and DIY methods to deal with their discolored teeth. You can certainly try different DIY methods to whiten your teeth. However, it is imperative that you must be aware of their inefficacies and downsides.
Oil Pulling Is Not a Sure-Shot Way to Remove Teeth Stains
Oil pulling is a method belongs to the alternative medicine regimen, which is supposedly used to whiten the teeth. The proponents of this alternative medicine technique maintain that swishing the edible oils (usually coconut oil) in the mouth on an empty stomach removes the oral toxins that also make the teeth stain-free.
If you have used or using this method to get rid of teeth stains and couldn’t get the desired results, then don’t be surprised since there is no scientific study supporting this method.
Acidic Fruits Don’t Whiten the Teeth
This is a very popular DIY teeth whitening procedure. Many people out there genuinely believe that acidic fruits are more than enough to take care of discolored teeth. Rubbing acidic fruits such as lemon, oranges or berries on your teeth might give you a momentary feeling of cleanliness. However, they are not any good for getting rid of dental stains that are developed over a long period. In fact, rubbing acidic fruits on the teeth more often can damage the tooth enamel, which is really sensitive to strong chemicals.
Over-the-Counter Whitening Products Are the Substitute for Professional Procedures
There are many over-the-counter whitening products available in the market. They are branded and marketed in a way that leads many people into believing that they can get rid of their teeth stains without any professional assistance.
These products definitely produce some good results. However, one can’t compare them with professional procedures. The thoroughness through which professionals undertake teeth whitening procedures can’t be replicated through over-the-counter products.
Over-the-counter products are manufactured for general use. They are not for people suffering from different periodontal issues. Moreover, the effective period of these products is really short. In a couple of weeks and even days, their whitening effect starts to wear off.
So, these are the reasons why we recommend people to go for professional teeth whitening procedures. While we are discussing the shortcomings and inadequacies of DIY teeth whitening methods, it is important to clarify one thing here: Professional teeth whitening is not a permanent solution against teeth discoloration either.
For people who are not heavy smokers or caffeine users and taking care of their dental health, a whitening procedure can last for three years. It is way better than investing your time and money in temporary and ineffective DIY teeth cleaning procedures.
