• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Call us (501) 683-8886 Send email info@arkansasfamilydental.com

Arkansas Family Dentistry

Schedule an Appointment New Patient?
  • About
    • Meet Us
      • Doctors
      • Hygienists
      • Assistants
      • Front Desk
    • New Patient
    • What to Expect
    • Join the Team
    • Our Mission
    • Blog
  • Services
    • Family Dentistry
    • Dental Emergencies
    • Dental Savings Plan
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
    • Botox
    • Ortho
  • Patient Resources
    • Patient Portal
    • Refer a Patient
    • Post-Operation Care
    • Dental Emergencies
    • Dental Savings Plan
    • FAQ
    • Payment Options
  • Contact
Model teeth in varying shades are held to a female patient's smile to choose the closest color for a cosmetic procedure.

October 26, 2017

Teeth Whitening and Why You Should Not DIY

DIY hacks frequently promise to save you time, money and effort. Unfortunately, selecting this route for teeth whitening can have serious repercussions that may leave you wishing for professional intervention.

Do-it-yourself quick fixes are all the rage these days and for good reason. They are quick, efficient and cheap when compared to the real deal. Unfortunately, teeth whitening using DIY tips or kits does not live up to the hype. In fact, forgoing professional whitening in favor of DIY hacks can leave you wishing you had gone with the pros the first time around. Learning why you should not DIY when it comes to teeth whitening will help you confidently entrust the process to your cosmetic dentist in Little Rock.

Inefficient At-Home Methods

Cosmetic dentists utilize whitening formulas that meet the strict standards established industry wide. In most cases, the at-home kits and methods cannot perform nearly as well as these professional products. Instead of containing up to 44% of whitening compounds, the DIY whitening methods may only offer a fraction of that power, resulting in less than desirable results.

Risk of Tooth Sensitivity

Although it seems like tooth enamel contains the stains you see on your teeth, the problem actually lies much further inside the tooth, down to the dentin inside. To whiten your teeth, the bleach formula must activate and open the pores in the enamel to deliver the whitening agents directly to the dentin. Incorrectly using the whitening product can leave these pores open, resulting in severe hot and cold sensitivity issues well into the future.

Inconsistent Whitening Results

Cosmetic dentists carefully and skillfully paint the whitening formula onto the surface of your teeth, reaching into the nooks and crannies with the brush. With at-home whitening methods, you are more likely to miss spots, causing the results to fail to meet your expectations. You may notice dark spots or uneven areas on your teeth where the whitening formula failed to touch the surface or penetrate deep down to the dentin layer.

Potential for Over Processing

Your dentist will closely monitor the treatment duration at every visit to avoid overexposing your teeth to the bleaching agent. In addition, your dentist utilizes his or her professional expertise to determine the ideal number of whitening sessions needed to reach your intended tooth shade. Heading into this process on your own can result in overly whitened teeth that look unnatural and feel incredibly sensitive to hot and cold sensations.

Scheduling Your Teeth Whitening Appointment

Thankfully, you can avoid the potential issues above by simply entrusting the teeth whitening process to a skilled and experienced cosmetic dentist. If you would like to complete the teeth whitening process and achieve a beautiful smile, schedule an appointment with a Little Rock Dentist at Arkansas Family Dental by calling 501-683-8886. Your dentist will help you identify and achieve your desired tooth shade to begin fully enjoying your beautiful smile once again.

free cosmetic dentistry guide download

Filed Under: Cosmetic Services Tagged With: teeth whitening

Get your FREE Guide to Cosmetic Dentistry

If you are tired of hiding your dental imperfections, download our Cosmetic Dentistry Guide to take the first step toward a more confident you!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Our Services

  • Botox
  • Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Dental Emergencies
  • Dental Sealants
  • Family Dentistry
  • Fluoride Treatments
  • Hygiene Services
  • Laser Treatments
  • Nightguard
  • Nitrous Oxide
  • Ortho
  • Restorative
  • Root Canals
  • Snoring Devices

Footer

About

  • Our Mission
  • Payment Options
  • Careers
  • Contact Us

Services

  • Family Dentistry
  • Emergency
  • Cosmetic
  • Restorative

Resources

  • Patient Portal
  • Patient Resources
  • Post-Operation
  • FAQ
  • Videos

Enter your email address to sign up for our newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Footer Middle Row

Location

13600 David O. Dodd Road
Little Rock, Arkansas 72210

Contact

(501) 683.8886
webinfo@arkansasfamilydental.com

Hours

Mon - Thurs: 7:30 AM - 7 PM
Fri: 7:30 AM - 4 PM

Copyright © 2023 Arkansas Family Dental All Rights Reserved

Follow Us