What Makes Some People Overuse Teeth Whitening Products?
Dr. B. Kanagasabapathy
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
Everyone strives to maintain white teeth to have a dazzling smile. An excellent oral hygiene regime paired with regular in-office checkups helps your teeth remain white and clean. However, some people go miles with their tooth brushing, forgetting the popular saying “Too much of a good thing is bad”, and end up killing their teeth.
Our dentists have seen many people who indulge in frequent brushing activities to achieve a whitish smile. It is an addictive behaviour (even say mental disorder) called Bleachorexia.
What is meant by Bleachorexia?
Bleachorexis refers to the condition of obsession with teeth whitening. People with this condition would feel bad about their smiles and compare their looks with celebrities in magazines, ads, and movies.
It pushes them to utilize all kinds of teeth whitening products, such as toothpaste, whitening gels, whitening strips, at-home whitening kits, etc. Even though some bleaching products are supposed to use once in a few months, these people begin to use those products recurrently. Later, they tend to brush and even scrub their teeth constantly.
Do I have Bleachorexia?
As it is addictive behaviour, many people are overly whitening their teeth without their knowledge.
If you look at a mirror to check how your smile appeals repeatedly, it may be a sign of Bleachorexia. Likely, you may tell whether your teeth have been overly bleached if your teeth appear translucent. In the meantime, Bleachorexia paves the way for various dental dilemmas.
How does Bleachorexia ruin your dental health?
Nowadays, you can get all sorts of dental bleaching substances in pharmacies and even in groceries. Remember that such Over-the-Counter whitening substances contain an abrasive agent called Carbamide Peroxide. The teeth whitening gels dentists use contain just 10% carbamide peroxide.
Frequent application of such OTC bleaching products for a few minutes is equivalent to using larger doses of carbamide peroxide for a long time. Overuse of such bleaching agents will weaken and erode the enamel.
On the other hand, certain whitening products branded on online platforms and televisions contain acidic compounds. When they blend with the whitening agents and deposit over the teeth for a long time, they do not wear down the enamel and can kill the nerves inside the teeth.
To put it simply, dental whitening agents will have havoc on your teeth if you use teeth whitening substances after reaching the maximum shade of whiteness they reach. In such cases, you will encounter the following difficulties:
- Disclosure of the soft layers of teeth (due to enamel erosion)
- Teeth sensitivity
- Gum recession
- Irritation in the throat, gums, tongue, cheeks, and other oral tissues
- Sometimes, overbleaching has a reverse effect (i.e.) it makes the teeth appear darker.
What should you do to get rid of this whitening obsession?
Doubtlessly, you should lessen the teeth whitening activities, but before that, you should believe that you have a beautiful smile. The following tips will provide you with that belief through which you can dwindle the obsessive whitening activities:
- Remember that the OTC bleaching products can remove the teeth stains alone. With these, you cannot restore a tooth’s natural shade.
- Don’t believe the images portrayed by oral hygiene product manufacturers. At times, they use makeup and manipulate photographs.
- Don’t compare your looks with the appearance of public figures.
- If you are not satisfied with the appearance of your teeth, visit your dentist. You can safely restore your teeth’ natural whiteness with various in-office bleaching procedures.
What are the teeth whitening procedures dentists provide?
With a range of cutting-edge tooth whitening techniques, your dentist can give you a sparkling smile you desire. Here are some:
- Gel whitening
- Laser teeth whitening
- Zoom Whitening
- Crest Teeth Whitening
- KoR Teeth Whitening
If you believe that using too much of whitening products will bring the pearly white smile you are yearning for, you are wrong. It will lead you to encounter severe repercussions.
Having queries? Contact our dentists at +91 9942502110 or Schedule your appointment with us here.
