Celebrities love selling you all kinds of gadgets on Instagram but you might want to rethink those home teeth whitening kits and devices before you press the “purchase” button.
Because guess what? Celebs aren’t using those home teeth whitening products, they’re going to professionals. And so should you.
Home teeth whitening kits may seem relatively harmless. After all, they sell them pretty much everywhere these days. But the truth is they can cause major damage to your teeth, gums, and more.
Continue reading to find out exactly how these products can wreak havoc on your mouth.
Chemical Burns
Jessie J getting her teeth whitened by a professionalA lot of the kits you can buy OTC use a gel, which you put inside a mouthguard and then fit into your mouth. The thing is, this guard isn’t molded to your mouth because it hasn’t been custom-made by a dentist. The gel can easily leak out around the sides and spread around the mouth, causing severe chemical burns.
If you want to have your teeth whitened, it’s much safer to have it done by a professional cosmetic dentist instead of doing it yourself at home. The chemical burns caused by home kits can be incredibly serious, so it’s not really worth the risk.
Damage To Tooth Enamel
Bar Refaeli at the dentistIf a whitening kit claims that it will give you results within minutes, there’s a high chance that it contains chlorine dioxide. This is a harsh chemical that is also used to clean swimming pools, which they don’t like to tell you on the labels of whitening products.
While it does strip away stains very effectively, it’s also great at stripping away the enamel on your teeth. So, you get the pearly whites that you’re after, but you’re also doing long-term damage to your teeth in the process. You no longer have that layer of protection there, so you’re more likely to get cavities and your teeth will end up looking a lot worse in the long run.
Damage To Gums
Lebron James getting his teeth professionally cleanedSome products contain hydrogen peroxide, which is safe in very small concentrations. But when used in higher amounts, it can result in burns to your gum tissues.
Unfortunately, a lot of whitening products contain enough hydrogen peroxide to burn soft tissue, so if you make a slight mistake while applying it, you can do some serious damage.
Increased Risk Of Infection
Kim Kardashian getting her teeth whitened by a cosmetic dentistThe chemical burns and the damage to your teeth and gums can leave areas of the mouth exposed. Bacteria can get into these damaged areas in the same way it would get into a normal cut, causing a serious infection. There’s a lot of bacteria in the mouth, so the risk of infection is huge when using at-home teeth whitening kits.
In some cases, teeth whitening kits can be safe and the results are good. However, the chemicals used in these products are very harsh and they can do a lot of damage. It is always better to go to a cosmetic dentist who knows what they’re doing.