Can Excessive Tooth Whitening Cause Problems?

Can Teeth Get Any Whiter?

Teeth whitening is all the rage. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, teeth whitening is the number one requested cosmetic service today, and its popularity is on the rise. Many consumers admit that tooth whitening can be addictive, leaving them feeling as though their teeth can never be white enough.

Can Excessive Tooth Whitening Cause Problems?

Yes, excessive tooth whitening can cause problems. In fact, half of those who whiten have reported mild to moderate pain, and one in 25 report severe, disabling pain after using tooth whitening products.  Especially when they are used more often than recommended, tooth whiteners can pit and etch the surfaces of teeth, leaving the enamel rough and more likely to stain.

This leaves people tempted to whiten more often than recommended, or to leave whitening products on the teeth longer than recommended.

What Makes People Think Their Teeth Aren’t Whiten Enough

There are several things that can make people think their teeth should be whiter. For instance, those with pale complexions have teeth that look a little yellower than those with darker complexions, simply because their skin is whiter than their teeth.

Another reason people tend to think their teeth aren’t white enough is the media portrayal of actors and actresses with flawless, white teeth. Like those who pine to be as thin as runway models, Americans are constantly comparing themselves with those whose only jobs are to look good.

Helping patients understand that their expectations should be tempered by their circumstances will help them understand that over-whitening their teeth is neither healthy nor attractive.

Stopping Halitosis at the Source

Stopping Halitosis at the Source

One of the primary complaints of patients in the chair is persistent halitosis, since bad breath makes for bad impressions.

Many people with bad breath rely on mints, gums and mouthwashes to help relieve unrelenting bad breath. Generally those methods fail and for good reason – mints, mouthwashes and gums simply mask the smell of bad breath, instead of addressing it at the root cause.

Halitosis is caused by bacteria in the mouth releasing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). These VSCs produced by bacteria can only be addressed at the microbial level. This is why many mouthwashes claim to stop bad breath – because they indiscriminately wipe out bacteria in the mouth. They don’t, however, halt the return of these bacteria. And once the bacteria return, so does the halitosis.

Why Flossing is Important

Flossing can help reduce the impact of halitosis by removing the pieces of food caught between teeth, and reducing the smell of those foods decaying. Flossing also helps remove some of the bacteria responsible for VOCs, but not the bacteria colonizing below the gum line.

Since brushing and flossing can’t remove the bacteria below the gum line, and mouthwashes offer temporary results at best, oral care probiotics may be the answer. These microscopic beneficial bacteria can reach where common tooth cleaning devices can’t, deep under the gum line where harmful, VSC-releasing bacteria prefer to colonize. In fact, the only thing that fits in those gingival crevicesis bacteria. That’s where oral care probiotics come in.

With EvoraPlus probiotic mints, dentists and hygienists finally have an answer to patients’ persistent halitosis.

Periodontal Health Linked to Heart Health

What’s Good For Your Heart

Periodontal Health Linked to Heart Health

Good at-home oral health habits are important for more than just nice-looking teeth. Keeping teeth healthy and clean is also important for maintaining good heart health.

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Periodontology, people with periodontal disease are at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease than those with healthy gums.

The study found that study participants with gum disease had higher levels of harmful bacteria in the bloodstream – up to four times more than study participants with healthy gums.

Researchers at Columbia University School of Public Health found similar results, reinforcing doctors’ longstanding belief that periodontal health is directly linked to cardiovascular health.

Columbia University researchers looked at three forms of bacteria common in patients with gum disease and found that patients with one or any combination of the three bacteria also had hardening of the arteries.

These are just two examples of dozens of ongoing studies that continue to link good oral health with good heart health.

Patient education is key in this area, since the average patient will simply assume that brushing and flossing teeth is only essential to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Incentive to be more proactive at brushing and flossing may increase should patients have a better understanding of how their oral health affects their overall health, including the link between periodontal health and heart health.

It’s a simple formula – good oral care can help maintain a healthy heart.

Pass on the Pain of Tooth Whitening

Naturally Whiter Teeth Without the
Hassle or the Side Effects

Pass on the Pain of Tooth Whitening

More than half of those who have attempted at-home whitening treatments abandon the process because they experience gum or tooth pain, or they find they are not satisfied with how well over-the-counter whitening products work.

This doesn’t mean, however, that people don’t want whiter teeth – they just want whiter teeth without the pain and hassle of using strips and gels.

Fortunately, there is a natural alternative for those who want whiter teeth without those hassles or the potential pain caused by high-dose hydrogen peroxide or bleach-based whitening systems.

Oral care probiotic mints are a safe, 100 percent natural and effective way to gently whiten teeth without the negative side effects associated with other over-the-counter whitening products.

A natural by-product of the powerful ProBiora3 probiotics featured in EvoraPlus is a low-dose of hydrogen peroxide. As these good bacteria are replenished daily, they create a gradual whitening with the full benefits of long contact times, delivering 24 hour per day coverage of balancing and brightening.

The oral care probiotics in EvoraPlus attach to the surface of the teeth, crowding out harmful bacteria by competing for the same nutrients and surface spaces. In laboratory studies, the low-dose hydrogen peroxide produced by these bacteria created a continuous natural whitening benefit that did not plateau over the duration of the study. With daily use, the colonization of the beneficial bacteria provides a constant and expanding population for gradual and continual whitening effects.

Those who use the natural tooth whitener EvoraPlus can expect their smiles to be about four shades whiter in just one month!

EvoraKids in Hygienetown

In the Spotlight

EvoraKids in Hygienetown

We’re very proud to learn that EvoraKids, Oral Care Probiotics for Children ages 3 -10, is in the product spotlight this week for Hygienetown’s digital newsletter and on the Hygienetown website.

Hygienetown’s digital newsletter keeps dental hygienists on the cutting edge of their professions.

Written for hygienists as a source of peer education, the Hygienetown website features monthly profiles of dental companies, forums for dental professionals to discuss certain subjects and a monthly poll on various hygiene topics, including Periodontal Therapy, Surgery, Oral Cancer and Clinical Presentations.

Hygienetown is a place for hygienists to share experiences, challenges and tips with others in their professions, as well as a place for hygienists to earn online continuing education credits.

EvoraKids is an innovative new product from Oragenics. This one-of-a-kind oral care probiotic chew contains the patent-pending ProBiora3 blend of probiotics that crowd out harmful bacteria and support tooth health.

EvoraKids reaches where toothbrushes and floss can’t – into the crevices on the pits and fissures in the chewing surfaces of teeth. Because it’s difficult to know how well children are brushing their teeth, EvoraKids offers parents peace of mind that they have taken the extra step needed ensure happier smiles.

The beneficial bacteria found in EvoraKids are natural residents in very healthy mouths. Using EvoraKids daily ensures that the beneficial bacteria have the upper hand in maintaining a healthy bacterial balance in your children’s mouths.

Our thanks go out to Hygienetown for the EvoraKids shout-out!