Most people love to have those pearly white teeth and to achieve them; one would need to spend a lot in investing with whitening products or laser treatments. Below are some lies that we might believe if we are not aware.

Little White Lie #1: Whitening toothpastes are highly effective at whitening your teeth.

Naturally, brushing your teeth is always a good idea, since it’s essential to keeping them clean and generally an important part of good dental hygiene.

You certainly can use whitening toothpastes, but you shouldn’t start using these products in the expectation that these will be able to produce any significant degree of whitening. The whitening agents in these products just don’t spend enough time in contact with your teeth to really make a difference. It also needs to be noted that the whitening agents in these toothpastes are generally present in extremely low quantities to prevent them from causing irritation.

Little White Lie #2: Having your dentist whiten your teeth is the best way to get a brighter, whiter smile.

Your dentist can perform tooth whitening for you, but this doesn’t mean that the results are going to be any better. They use hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide; that is to say the exact same whitening agents that are used in D-I-Y teeth whiteners.

Either method produces the same results, though there is one factor which differs significantly: the cost. Since you can get the same results at home with a much smaller price tag, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of people are starting to choose at home tooth whitening over a dental procedure.

Little White Lie #3: All tooth whitening products are the same.

It is decidedly not the case that all tooth whitening products are created equal. There are some products which work quite well, while others doesn’t really work at all. The difference generally comes down to the ingredients used in the product. Different whitening gels differ in their concentration of active ingredients – and thus in the degree to which they are effective.

Little White Lie #4: Tooth whitening is harmful to the teeth and gums.

Teeth whitening systems don’t cause any damage to your teeth or gums. This process is not harmful to your teeth or gums. However, the procedure can cause some sensitivity in the teeth. If this is a problem, the effect can be reduced or eliminated simply by shortening the time that the whitening gel spends in contact with your teeth.

Little White Lie #5: Whitening strips are the best, most effective method, of whitening the teeth.

Whitening strips are not the best way to whiten your teeth, but they’re not even particularly effective. They’re designed as a “one size fits all” solution. The end result is uneven whitening with ugly “striping” of stained areas which often looks worse than before you started.

Little White Lie #6: Thermoform trays are cheaper and work just as well as custom whitening tray.

In reality, you do need a custom whitening tray to get the best results. A custom tray properly fits your teeth, unlike a whitening strip or a thermoform tray, which leaves unattractive stripes of staining and discoloration where they don’t completely stay in contact with your teeth. A custom tray can also prevent gum irritation by keeping the whitening gel from leaking out of the tray – providing more efficient whitening and less potential for irritation.

Little White Lie #7: Paint-on tooth whiteners are the best at home tooth whitening products since they’re the easiest to use.

The paint-on whiteners are definitely easy to use, but unfortunately they’re not effective. Your saliva washes away the whitening agents, meaning that the whiteners aren’t left in contact with the surface of your teeth for a long enough time to do much, if anything to whiten them. At best, these paint on tooth whitening products leave you with very limited whitening results and have an uneven, unnatural look.

Little White Lie #8: Whitening products which use electroluminescence are more effective, since they activate the tooth whitening agents in the gel.

The whitening gel is what causes the whitening these systems provide – the electroluminescence does nothing to make the procedure more effective. You may as well save some money and purchase an at home whitening solution which omits the lights – it really doesn’t add anything in terms of whitening.

Little White Lie #9: Tooth bleaching procedures work the same for everyone.

Every individual is different and so are their teeth; including their staining. Some stains are easier to bleach than others. Yellow stains are the easiest to remove, followed by brown staining. Teeth which are stained to a grayish shade are the most difficult to whiten by the use of a bleaching procedure.

Little White Lie #10: Swallowing tooth whitening gel is harmful

There is about a 100% chance that you’ll swallow at least a little bit of tooth whitening gel regardless of which tooth whitening system you choose. It’s not harmful, though it does have an odd taste.