Don't Become Bleachorexic: How Often Is Too Often For Professional Teeth Whitening?

Nobody deliberately sets out to have yellow teeth, but over time a love of good food and beverages can leave your teeth looking less than their best. You already know teeth whitening is the fastest way to bring them back to whiteness, but where should you draw the line about how often this gets done? Bleachorexia, which is an obsession about teeth whitening, is a real problem for some people. So, before you get too excited about getting your teeth whitened, you need to be very aware of how long it lasts and how often it can safely be done.

How Long Does Professional Teeth Whitening Last?

The best results for teeth whitening come from having the procedure done by your dentist. This is because they are the only people qualified to use the strongest teeth whitening agents available. Any product containing more than 18% carbamide peroxide or 6% hydrogen peroxide cannot be used by anyone other than a dental practitioner.

Depending on what your eating and smoking habits are, it is feasible you will only need to have the whitening process touched up annually by your dentist. Smokers, for example, will see a return to yellow teeth faster than non-smokers due to the tar and nicotine that is in the cigarettes. These are known teeth stainers that change the colour of your enamel with each puff.

What Happens If You Whiten Teeth Too Often?

No reputable dentist is going to keep whitening your teeth when they can see permanent damage is being done, but if you are obsessed with white teeth, there are still the weaker whitening systems you can buy over-the-counter at the chemist. You need to know, however, these still carry a health risk.

The strength of the bleach contained in over-the-counter products is still enough to leave your teeth feeling sensitive when overused. This is because each time you apply the bleach to your teeth, you open up the pores in the tooth enamel, and these pores feel pain.

The better way to keep your teeth at a healthy whiteness is to visit your dentist for a check up every six months. Not only can they clean away new stains while you are there, but they can also do a whitening touch up if it is obviously necessary to do so.

While it is always tempting to limit the cost of teeth whitening by trying products for yourself, visiting your dentist is the safest way to achieve long-term whitening success.


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