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In an effort to save money, more and more people are trying to utilize ingredients in their home to make their own self-care products. Although this can be absolutely a great option for some products, such as making your own facial mask or body scrub, it can be detrimental to your oral health if you look to make your own teeth whitening solution.
There are different homemade options that you can find on the internet to make a teeth whitening solution, but unfortunately, most of those options do more harm than good. These “recipes” often call for the use of fruit peels, fruit juice, fruit peels and vinegar. The acid in the fruit is very harsh and actually erodes your enamel and this can lead to a variety of dental issues.
There are also articles that you can find online about coconut oil pulling. Even though this is not something that will cause harm to your teeth, it also does not do anything to help whiten your teeth.
There are a variety of over-the-counter whitening products on the market, and the wide assortment of brands can cause confusion as to which products will be the most effective and which products are safe to utilize.
There are different kinds of whitening toothpastes on the market and the important thing to know about these are the RDA (Relative Dentin Abrasivity) measurement. When a toothpaste is cleared by the FDA, they have to have an RDA measurement. The higher the RDA, the more abrasive and harsher the toothpaste is. Unfortunately, there are many whitening toothpastes, including well known brands, such as Colgate and Crest, that have a very high RDA. It is important to do your research and make sure that the RDA of a toothpaste you want to use is within the regulations set by the FDA. The RDA of a toothpaste can be found online by simply looking it up.
Whitening gels are another whitening trend and these gels will generally be made of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. Although many of these gels are safe to use, it is important that they are used correctly in order to avoid causing damage to your teeth. If whitening gels are something that interest you, it is a good idea to discuss this with your dentist. Your dentist may also be able to provide you with gel that they know is safe and can make you customized trays that are safer to use, since the gel is not getting on your gums. Many over-the counter options come with plastic trays that you are supposed to heat and mold to your teeth, but these are often difficult to use and will not be of the same quality as trays your dentists can customize for you.
Activated charcoal is another hot trend right now and this can be bought as capsules, powder or toothpaste. Some people are purchasing the capsules and mixing it with water to make a homemade version, but like with the homemade whitening products mentioned above, this can sometimes do more harm than good. It is better to choose a charcoal toothpaste that is safe, has been tested and has a low RDA measurement. There are some dentists who are against utilizing activated charcoal, since there has not been sufficient research on the long-term effects of using it. If this is something that interests you, it is best to discuss it with your dentist.
Teeth whitening lights are another product that people use, and they are generally a small mouthpiece that the patient bites on to hold it in place, and they are usually battery-operated devices. Unfortunately, these are not going to help whiten your teeth since they do not use activating gel. These devices are just heating your teeth.
Since the number of whitening products is only going to increase over time, your best bet is to talk to your dentist about your teeth whitening goals and they will help you to find the safest and most effective option.
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