In terms of self-improvement, it can be possible to overreach. You might have overestimated your physical fitness and punished your body by doing too much at the gym. You can also overreach in your other efforts to improve your physical appearance. If you want to whiten your teeth, you would hopefully use restraint and opt for a gradual change until you have achieved the desired result. But what about when you inadvertently whiten your teeth too much when using an over the counter kit?
Not Following the Instructions
Perhaps the most common way to over whiten your teeth is to disregard the instructions when using an over the counter kit. This might involve leaving the applicator trays in your mouth for longer than recommended, or repeating the treatment sooner than is specified. While the instructions should be adhered to, you might have opted to increase the duration and frequency of the treatments in order to achieve a quicker, more striking result. This might in fact be the result, but it's possible whiten to a degree that can look unnatural, which also has the potential to damage your teeth.
Checking for Damage
If you have over whitened your teeth to a degree that causes concern, you should make an appointment with your dentist to ascertain that there has been no permanent damage. In extreme cases, the somewhat corrosive active ingredients of the teeth whitening treatment might have damaged your dental enamel, exposing your dentin and leaving your teeth more susceptible to decay. Ideally, there would be no damage beyond the aesthetics of having teeth that are unnaturally white and bright. Though they have corrosive elements, teeth whitening treatments are perfectly safe when used in line with the manufacturer's instructions.
The Waiting Game
When your teeth have become too white, you don't have many options beyond playing the waiting game. Just as certain types of food and drink have contributed to the discolouration of your teeth over time, they will have the same effect once again. There is no set time frame to this, and yet your standard consumption of food and drink should gradually reduce the white sheen evident in your teeth.
Future Whitening Treatments
In order to avoid repeating the same mistake, it can be wise to forego over the counter teeth whitening treatments in favour of having teeth whitening professionally performed. Your teeth can be whitened to a preferred (and safe) degree, with the results being largely immediate.
You should always carefully follow the instructions when using a whitening kit at home, since it's not worth jeopardising the overall health of your teeth.
Share23 July 2018
As a retired dentist, I work with charities which visit developing countries and educate children about dental care. It gives me great satisfaction to revisit these communities and see how proud the children are of their efforts. I am acutely aware that good dental hygiene can help prevent a range of serious conditions when these children become older. I started this blog because it greatly distresses me that many people in Australia do not seem to care for their teeth as much as children in these poor communities. This is happening despite ready access to items like toothbrushes and toothpaste which are luxuries in the places I visit. It is my hope that this blog encourages you not to take dental health for granted. My greatest wish is that you can be as inspired as the children I see in my charity work. Please read on and enjoy.
