Teeth Whitening Pros and Cons
Once orthodontic treatment is complete, many people with newly aligned teeth want to make their smiles as attractive as possible wherein they consider having their teeth whitened. If you are thinking of whitening your teeth, here are a few pros and cons associated with teeth whitening you might want to consider.
Pros
Will Make Your Smile More Attractive – Having your teeth whitened will do wonders for making your smile appear more attractive and especially if your teeth are quite dull, darkened or stained.
Will Boost Your Self-Esteem – Knowing that your smile is white and bright will give you a big boost of self-esteem which will have a positive effect on your social and professional life.
Can Make You Look Younger – Discolored and stained teeth are often associated with older people as it is common for teeth to darken and stain as we age. Having your teeth professionally whitened can make you look several years younger than you actually are.
It’s fast and Easy – Having your teeth whitened by a dentist is a quick and easy way to brighten up your smile. Many dentists today can provide patients with dramatically whiter teeth in just one hour by using a professional-strength whitening gel containing hydrogen peroxide that is activated by a special light.
Can Do it At Home – If you prefer to whiten your teeth in the privacy of your home, you can obtain an at-home whitening kit from a cosmetic dentist that contains custom mouth trays made from impressions of your teeth and powerful whitening gel. Although this method is not as fast as having your teeth whitened in a dental office, it can gradually whiten and brighten your smile over a period of a few weeks.
Cons
May Not Be Able to Match Your Dental Work – If you have crowns, bridges or fillings, it may be difficult to achieve a tint level that matches these restorations and especially if you do at-home teeth whitening.
You Could Have Sore Gums and Sensitive Teeth – Some people who have their teeth whitened professionally have sores gums and sensitive teeth after the procedure due to the powerful bleaching agents used.
You Will Have to Avoid Some Foods and Drinks – Once you’ve had your teeth whitened, you will have to avoid foods and beverages which stain teeth like coffee, dark sodas and blueberries so you can maintain your brilliant white smile as long as possible.
You Must Have the Procedure Re-Done – Regardless if you whiten your teeth at home or have a cosmetic dentist do it, your newly acquired white smile won’t last forever. Sooner or later you will have to whiten your teeth again to remove stains and discoloration.
Hopefully this information has helped those of you thinking about having your smiles whitened once your braces come off. Our Saginaw & Arlington TX orthodontist, Dr. Gilmore wants all his patients to enjoy having straight, healthy and beautiful smiles and believes it’s up to each person to decide for themselves if they whiten their teeth after orthodontic treatment!