White-Out
The Dangers of Over-Bleaching
By: Mamaluv
By: Mamaluv
A quick look through my makeup bag tells you a lot about me. A little bit of this to accentuate, a little of that to disguise, and oh yes, the most important accessorymy Whitestrips, the best thing since the Wonderbra and control-top underwear, the ultimate age-defier.
I am a 30-something mother of three, so my natural aging process wasn' t exactly being helped by sleepless nights and gallons of coffee. I needed a little extra help, and the buzz is that a dazzlingly white, glow-in-the-dark smile is the latest greatest thing to look 10 years younger.
According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, bleaching is the #1 requested service in dental offices today. Then we buy the whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes, and gum to maintain our pearlies between ZOOM!® sessions.
This stressed-out missus is about to become one hot mama!
Except there's this teeny niggle of doubt in the back of my mind...ya know, the idea that fashion has its price, better is the enemy of good, and all that jazz.
So I have to say I wasn't overly shocked to read on MSN Health of the inherent dangers of tooth whitening procedures. It seems that you really can have too much of a good thing.
This stressed-out missus is about to become one hot mama!
Except there's this teeny niggle of doubt in the back of my mind...ya know, the idea that fashion has its price, better is the enemy of good, and all that jazz.
So I have to say I wasn't overly shocked to read on MSN Health of the inherent dangers of tooth whitening procedures. It seems that you really can have too much of a good thing.
Let's assume for a moment that you won;t abuse the product by exposing your teeth longer than the manufacturer recommends in order to achieve a refrigerator-white result. Even proper use can cause gum and enamel damage, leading to overly sensitive teeth, grayish discoloration, and accelerated tooth decay. But let's face it: many of us would be prone to overuse the products in an attempt to attain celeb-worthy smiles.
The truth is, most celebrities and Extreme Makeover participants actually have porcelain veneers or crowns, giving them a whiteness not achievable with a bleaching product. They also come with a face-paling price tag. So forget about Chicklit-style incisors for a sec and take some advice, girls.
Not everyone is a good candidate for a whitening procedure, so you should ask your dentist at your next checkup if whitening is realistic for you. He or she may recommend ZOOM!, a custom-mold tray for at home, or even a drugstore product like Whitestrips depending on your needs and budget. If your teeth or gums are not healthy enough for any of these procedures, you need to know this before you subject yourself to a lot of pain and possibly permanent damage.
If you do purchase a DIY product, your result will look most natural if you match your new tooth shade to the whites of your eyes. Your teeth may not all have the exact same shade; this will also look natural.
Let's face it. We just want to look our best, not light up the lanes on glow-bowling night. Keep it real, ladies!
Mamaluv is a ChickAdvisor member, a mother of 3 and environmentalist who enjoys manicures, massages and margaritas (on occasion). Her teeth are a nice healthy white.
Not everyone is a good candidate for a whitening procedure, so you should ask your dentist at your next checkup if whitening is realistic for you. He or she may recommend ZOOM!, a custom-mold tray for at home, or even a drugstore product like Whitestrips depending on your needs and budget. If your teeth or gums are not healthy enough for any of these procedures, you need to know this before you subject yourself to a lot of pain and possibly permanent damage.
If you do purchase a DIY product, your result will look most natural if you match your new tooth shade to the whites of your eyes. Your teeth may not all have the exact same shade; this will also look natural.
Let's face it. We just want to look our best, not light up the lanes on glow-bowling night. Keep it real, ladies!
Mamaluv is a ChickAdvisor member, a mother of 3 and environmentalist who enjoys manicures, massages and margaritas (on occasion). Her teeth are a nice healthy white.
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