Can toothpaste whiten teeth?

A beautiful smile begins with pearly white teeth. But, taking care of those pearly whites can be quite the task. It can be challenging to keep teeth immaculate. Some whitening toothpaste claim to remove stains and grant everyone’s desire to flaunt sparkly white teeth. But do they work, or are we being manipulated by strategic marketing?

Whitening toothpaste – do they work?

There are two types of teeth stains – extrinsic stains and intrinsic stains. Extrinsic stains are surface-level stains on the teeth enamel caused mainly due to eating habits and lifestyles like drinking too much coffee or wine, smoking cigarettes, overeating sour candy, and so forth. Intrinsic stains, on the contrary, are staining below the surface of the teeth. They can occur because of certain medications, tooth decay, genetics, etc.

Whitening toothpaste can remove extrinsic teeth stains to a certain degree. Toothpaste having silicates and abrasives sand down particles on the surface and remove the teeth stains. Some whitening toothpaste tubes also contain the blue chemical Coverine that attaches to the surface teeth and creates an illusion of whiter teeth. When used twice a day, whitening toothpaste may take two to six weeks to show visible results. But, prolonged use of whitening toothpaste can do more harm than good. The harsh and reckless use of abrasive toothpaste can wear the enamel down and expose the dentin, making the teeth appear more yellow. Also, some charcoal-based whitening toothpaste has lesser quantities of fluoride than required. So, while purchasing whitening toothpaste, you must look for a brand with the seal of approval from a recognized dental organization. Also, fluoride content of 1000 PPM is prudent. Furthermore, the optimal Relative Dentin Abrasive (RDA) score for any abrasive toothpaste is 70-100.

Lastly, brushing teeth with gentle strokes and light are powerful techniques while using whitening toothpaste. These methods ensure that the toothpaste does its job without harming your precious enamel.

Ways to get whiter teeth

An excellent dental regimen is a key to maintain and achieve whiter teeth. Giving up on certain habits like drinking wine and coffee, chewing tobacco, etc., can help in the gradual and natural removal of exterior stains.  If you have naturally yellow teeth, then the toothpaste will not be of any help. You can buy a bleaching gel or opt for professional bleaching by a dentist. It is noteworthy to mention that purchasable bleaching gels are not very effective as they are permitted to contain very concentrations amounts of the ingredients necessary for whitening teeth. Hence, they are effective in cases of mild discoloration. Regular visits to the dentist, proper brushing of teeth twice a day, oil pulling, using mouthwash, etc., are rituals that you should religiously follow for impeccable dental hygiene.

In a nutshell, whitening toothpaste can help you get whiter teeth provided the stains are new, temporary, and superficial. But, excessive focus on whitening teeth is unwarranted as the need is to keep them healthy, strong, and cavity-free. If you follow a holistic oral hygiene routine, then beautiful and sparkly teeth are sure to come your way.

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