Did you know that the global teeth whitening industry was valued at $6.1bn in 2020, with a predicted growth of $8.2bn in 2026? These numbers don’t lie – people take perfect, bright smiles seriously. Because of that, teeth whitening comfortably sits among the top aesthetic dental treatments.
The demand for teeth whitening treatments has led to greater accessibility – not only dental practices but also stores now have at-home whitening kits on their shelves. Some patients, however, go even further than that and resort to homemade remedies instead. Is this the safest way to go?
Here at Loudoun Orthodontics, we believe that homemade remedies can cause irreversible damage to the teeth, undoing years of constant dental care. Instead, patients should leave teeth whitening to professional practitioners, whose education, research, and experience are enough to vouch for positive results. For that reason, our mission for this blog is to debunk the most common teeth-whitening home remedies and propose a professional, efficient alternative: the GLO Brilliant Teeth Whitening Device!
Debunking Home Remedy #1: Baking Soda
The most common homemade teeth whitening remedy, baking soda, comes as a magic solution on many amateur blogs. However, it is crucial to understand that baking soda can never play the alternative part, neither as a toothpaste nor as a teeth-whitening remedy. First, it doesn’t contain fluoride, essential for killing bacteria and preventing cavities. Second, baking soda has an abrasive nature – it does remove built-up plaque and surface stains; however, this happens at the cost of the enamel, the tooth’s strongest line of defense.
Debunking Home Remedy #2: Hydrogen Peroxide
In small quantities (the recommended amount is 0.1% in toothpaste), hydrogen peroxide has whitening and disinfecting properties. However, higher concentrations of this substance can cause unwanted side effects, the most common one being tooth sensitivity.
Why does that happen? Hydrogen peroxide attacks the protective enamel layer, leaving the teeth exposed to temperature changes and bacteria. Furthermore, patients can experience severe side effects, such as inflammation of the teeth roots and infection, which call for more expensive treatments.
Debunking Home Remedy #3: Charcoal
The last, but not least, culprit on our list is charcoal, which has been making a name for itself on the dental care market for years now. Although at least unofficially, activated charcoal in toothpaste may help remove the surface stains on teeth and provide other benefits as well, the scientific world has not come up with any studies to back these claims. Furthermore, there is no proof that activated charcoal has any effect on intrinsic stains (i.e., the stains underneath the enamel), a sine qua non condition for professional teeth whitening.
On the contrary, due to its highly abrasive nature, activated charcoal gradually wears down the enamel, exposing the teeth’s inner, calcified layer called the dentin. Instead of a whitening effect, activated charcoal causes teeth to look yellow, leaving them more sensitive and more exposed to cavities and bacteria.
What’s Unique About Our Teeth Whitening Machine?
Here at Loudoun Orthodontics, we believe that homemade remedies have no place in a world where only high safety standards are acceptable. For that reason, our dental team employs a clinically approved, state-of-the-art teeth-whitening device that harnesses the superior benefits of heat and blue LED light to provide immediate results without any damage to the teeth: the GLO Brilliant Teeth Whitening Device!
Whitening (Without Damaging) Your Teeth
The GLO Teeth Whitening device contains LEDs (light-emitting diodes) that create blue light with a wavelength of approx. 470 nanometers (nm), completely harmless for the teeth and the rest of the body as well. After just one and a half hours into the treatment, patients will notice dramatic improvements (i.e., up to 12 shades lighter) without worrying about tooth sensitivity.
Reliably Consistent Results
While the GLO technology does provide superior results, the teeth-whitening journey doesn’t end here. Keeping your teeth sparkling white requires a solid maintenance schedule. As a rule of thumb, the first teeth whitening treatment should be followed by three additional treatments spanning over three months and by another treatment after six months. That being said, if the patient notices a change in the shade of color, they should use the GLO device until they achieve the desired results.
Qualified Practitioners Operating Your Treatments
In the world of teeth whitening, choosing the right treatment is only half the work. Not all orthodontists are created equal, which is why choosing the right specialist can make the difference between treatment success and failure.
With several decades of experience, our medical specialist, Dr. Richard J. Lee, DMD, MS, MPH, CAGS, transitioned from medical research to pursuing an active career as an orthodontist specialist to deliver confident, natural smiles. With a vigilant eye on technological improvements, Dr. Lee is more than qualified to help patients achieve their dream smiles and change their lives around!
Investing in Your Teeth: How Much Does Teeth Whitening Cost?
It’s true – professional teeth whitening provides so many benefits, from a bright smile to increased confidence and self-esteem. However, the surprising fact is that these benefits do not have to come at a great price. On the contrary, at Loudoun Orthodontics, depending on the patient’s choice, the cost for a teeth-whitening procedure can range anywhere from $250 (for at-home treatments) to $600 (for in-office procedures)!
Conclusion
Contact Loudoun Orthodontics if you think teeth whitening is the solution to your dental woes. Whether you want to learn more about the benefits of teeth whitening or have questions about the process, use our live chat or call (703) 858-0303 or send us a message through our Contact Us page to connect with our friendly staff today to book a complimentary orthodontic consultation! Our office, located at 19465 Deerfield Ave, Suite 304, Leesburg, VA 20176, proudly serves not just Loudoun County but also the Greater Washington DC area. So, if you’re residing in Ashburn, Lansdowne, or Sterling, and are looking for one of the best orthodontists in Virginia, don’t hesitate to visit our office! We also invite you to keep up with our blog to get answers to many of the frequently asked questions about maintaining sparkling oral health, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to become a part of our smiling community!
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/teeth-whitening/does-baking-soda-whiten-teeth
- https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/03/health/salt-baking-soda-teeth-whitening-wellness/index.html
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/whiten-teeth-naturally
- https://www.hello-products.com/friendly-blog/hydrogen-peroxide-safe-for-teeth/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/charcoal-toothpaste#safety
- https://gloscience.com/pages/glo-support-faq
- https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/opinions_layman/en/tooth-whiteners/index.htm
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/activated-charcoal#TOC_TITLE_HDR_8