Many people buy so-called “Teeth Whitening” toothpaste hoping to get whiter teeth. For many people, these toothpastes do not provide whiter teeth. Is this a form of false advertising? Actually, it’s not.
The confusion lies in the definition of teeth whitening. Teeth whitening in its strictest sense means to whiten the teeth to their natural shade. Teeth bleaching, on the other hand means to whiten your teeth beyond their natural shade.
The reason there is so much confusion is because the phrase teeth bleaching isn’t very attractive. So, companies that offer teeth bleaching, have started to refer to it as teeth whitening to make it more attractive to the average consumer.
In order for a toothpaste, mouthwash, or gum to be certified by the ADA as tooth whitening, it simply has to be able to remove surface stains off of your teeth.
How Teeth Get Stained
When our permanent teeth come in, they are a shiny white color. However, as we grow older (and eat lots of teeth-staining foods), our teeth get more and more yellowish-brown. Teeth Whitening toothpaste can remove tobacco stains, coffee stains, and other stains that we get as we go through our everyday lives.
Unfortunately, tooth whitening toothpastes can only return our teeth back to their original color. The toothpaste contains very gentle abrasives that rub against the stain and gradually remove it.
Why Teeth Whitening Toothpaste May Not Whiten Your Teeth
If you don’t drink coffee much or chew tobacco, there’s a good chance that your teeth aren’t stained at all. In this case, if you use tooth whitening toothpaste, you probably won’t notice a difference in how white your teeth are.
Also, in the last ten years, it seems that all toothpastes are “teeth whitening”. Chance are, you’ve already been brushing with “tooth whitening” toothpaste. Continuing to brush with “tooth whitening” toothpaste isn’t going to make your teeth any whiter since you’ve already removed the stains with previous tubes of “teeth whitening” toothpaste.
How to Whiten Your Teeth
If you truly want whiter teeth, you will probably want to use a form of teeth bleaching. Teeth bleaching is designed to whiten your teeth beyond their natural shade.
You should talk to your dentist about teeth whitening options such as in-office gels, Zoom teeth whitening, and take-home teeth whitening gels.
Have you been trying to get your teeth white with toothpaste? Let us know in the comments.
