Everyone strives for a brighter smile, it’s just something boosts your appearance and confidence tenfold. Teeth whitening has become so popular that the home beauty market seems keen to join in the party, producing and marketing charcoal toothpaste and DIY teeth whitening ring-lights via Instagram influencers. These home teeth whitening tricks aren’t always the healthiest, though, so for those wanting whiter yet still healthy teeth, we’d recommend you scrolled past these options. Traditional teeth whitening treatments have been known to make your teeth more sensitive because they damaged the enamel, your teeth’s protective layer, but the treatment has evolved since then. Does tooth whitening still cause sensitivity?

Does teeth whitening cause sensitivity?

Well, how long is a piece of string? It depends which type of tooth whitening you opt for. Is it in-practice, or at-home? What brand is it? What treatment method does it use? Teeth whitening can still cause sensitivity if you opt for a brand or treatment that has a history of being a little bit problematic, which is why it’s important you do your reading into which treatment you’d like.

Is home teeth whitening safe?

Again, how do you begin to measure this piece of string? If by ‘safe’ you interpret that it’s not going to make your teeth fall out or poison you, then yes it’s safe. If by ‘safe’ you mean it’s not going to damage your teeth surfaces and potentially cause sensitivity in the process, then no it’s not entirely safe.

Charcoal toothpaste, for example, has become all the rage as the latest non-prescription and readily available social media must-have. Instagram influencers, fashion bloggers, and YouTubers recommend (more often than not encouraged by a sponsorship deal) charcoal toothpaste to their loyal band of followers. Yes, it can remove some superficial surface staining, but it can also damage your enamel. The toothpaste could contain large chunks of charcoal that wear down your enamel to leave your teeth’s lower layers at risk. Over long-term use, this can cause permanent damage and leave your teeth exposed to sensitivity and pain. Also, because we use toothpaste twice a day (hopefully…) you’d think you could use charcoal toothpaste every day, right? Most manufacturers actually recommend you use it no more than 3 times a week, and only the once on these chosen 3 days, to avoid enamel erosion.

LED home teeth whitening is also another popular tooth whitening method that has been splashed across the page of social media. You might’ve seen this in the form of a mouth guard with a circular handle application that, when pressed, turns the LED light on. Manufacturers of these products insist that they have been specifically formulated for home use, but they carry a number of warnings that seem a little unavoidable. For example, they use bleach, so it is advised that the activator solution applied to the teeth doesn’t come into contact with the gums, which seems difficult enough for home application. Also, swallowing the agent could result in a temporary sore throat, which seems a little unavoidable given that you will be salivating during your home treatment and the run-off is inevitably swallowed.

Which is the best teeth whitening treatment system?

Well, since you ask, we favour the superior Enlighten teeth whitening treatment. As many other dentists and even celebrities would agree, Enlighten is arguably one of the most advanced and reputable whitening systems on the market today. One of the best parts about Enlighten is that comes with next-to-no sensitivity because it works straight through the enamel. It doesn’t jeopardise this protective layer, as some whitening systems do, and it doesn’t harm the tooth surface either. It’s completely safe and achieves truly exceptional results (up to 12 shades whiter teeth!).

Enlighten teeth whitening in York

For the best results and the best safety, always trust your teeth whitening to trained dental professionals such as our team at Blossom Dental Care. Enquire online or speak to a friendly member of staff on 01904 653356 to find out more about how our teeth whitening could boost your smile.