man smiling in a field after teeth whitening in Denver

Even if we all wish that we wouldn’t develop stains on our teeth in the first place, it’s an inherent consequence of life. Our daily diet, habits, and hygiene can contribute to discoloration. So, it’s natural to want to find a teeth whitening solution that is both reliable and effective.

Our Metropolitan Dental Care cosmetic dentists provide whitening and other services to patients so that you can have a smile that lights up the room. Learn more about your personalized teeth brightening options by contacting our Denver office today.

Some teeth whitening strategies are safe and are capable of lightening your enamel. However, other methods can do more harm than good—or not work. In this guide, we go over four popular teeth whitening solutions and verify if they are safe enough to start.

Do-It-Yourself Concoctions

From Tik-Tok to Pinterest, plenty of popular websites offer their expertise in the art of DIY solutions. However, some homemade teeth whitening treatments can be too good to be true and too harsh for delicate oral structures. Because many popular teeth whitening recipes are highly acidic and have the power to irreversibly erode your enamel or inflame your gums, we recommend skipping it altogether.

Over-The-Counter Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening strips, toothpaste, and even gum—there are countless OTC whitening options that all work differently. That being said, as long as the products bear the ADA Seal of Acceptance, the American Dental Association meets the requirements for safety and effectiveness if used as directed.

Unfortunately, abusing bleaching products can come with a slew of side effects, such as temporarily or irreversibly damaging the dental enamel and irritating the gums. Also, over-the-counter teeth whitening products are not as concentrated as professional teeth whitening. So, it can take much longer to see results with OTC products.

Professional Teeth Whitening

Dentist-supervised whitening can yield more dramatic yet safe effects. Depending on what your local office offers, dentists whiten teeth with highly concentrated carbamide peroxide solutions, tailor-made at-home trays, and more.

Cosmetic Bonding, Porcelain Veneers, or Crowns

Not all dental staining is equal. Some stains are on the surface (extrinsic), while others develop in the interdental tissues (intrinsic). Although the ADA states that whitening treatments can tackle extrinsic staining, intrinsic stains are more stubborn and don’t always budge when topical whitening chemicals are applied.

Instead, we suggest covering deep staining with biocompatible cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers, or crowns. While these cosmetic dentistry treatments do not erase stains, they can effectively cover them.

Listen to Your Teeth and Opt for Professional Teeth Whitening in Denver

Fundamentally, you should be fine as long as you stick with ADA and dentist-approved teeth whitening.

However, suppose you’ve already started at-home teeth whitening and have not found success or are suffering from sensitivity. In that case, it’s worth listening to your body and scheduling an appointment with your dentist so that you can:

  1.     Make sure that your teeth are strong and healthy enough to endure whitening treatment
  2.     Have a safe, proven teeth whitening experience

Because teeth whitening can be tricky and potentially concerning, we suggest meeting with a professional for teeth whitening or other cosmetic dentistry services. Talk with our Denver teeth whitening team by calling 303-534-2626 or messaging us online to book an appointment.