The demand for teeth whitening products has never been greater. People more and more want that ‘Hollywood smile’. The costs of cosmetic dentistry are out of reach for most, but teeth whitening home kits offer an inexpensive solution. Just how safe are these whitening kits?
New technology has enabled researchers to compare the relative damage to the tooth enamel of fruit juices and teeth whitening products.
The study, published in the Journal of Dentistry, shows that orange juice causes more damage to the tooth enamel than the hydrogen peroxide commonly found in teeth whitening products.
Some people shy away from using teeth whitening products because of the fear of damage to the teeth’s enamel. Researchers used a new focus-variation vertical scanning microscope which enabled them to see surface irregularities on the enamel in very minute detail. They reported that the acid in orange juice decreased enamel hardness by 84 percent.
The damage caused by the acid in fruit juice is slow and gradual. In some countries where fruit juice drinks are cheap and popular, the inhabitants commonly suffer from damaged teeth. Over many years the enamel is weakened and broken down, allowing bacteria to enter the teeth, causing damage and tooth decay.
What is reassuring to know is that teeth whitening products cause less damage than fruit juices. What is perhaps even more reassuring to understand is that you would only normally use teeth whitening products once every several months at most. There would be no real chance of any cumulative damage. The damage done would be negligible – less than the damage caused by drinking one fruit juice drink every several months.
One of the researchers commented that “We do not yet have an effective tool to avert the erosive effects, although there are early indications that higher levels of fluoride may help slow down the erosion.” So, brushing with fluoride based toothpastes might help, as would visiting your dentist about once a year for a fluoride treatment.
In order to negate the cumulative damage of drinking a lot of fruit juice there are several precautions that you can make. If you drink the juice quickly, this will reduce the contact of the juice with your tooth enamel, leading to less damage in the long term. It is also a good idea to rinse out your mouth with water soon after drinking the juice, and maybe chew a sugar free gum.
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