Americans place an extremely high value on their smile, and according to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 99.7% of adults believe that their smile is an important social asset. Of adults those adults, 96% believe that an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to members of the opposite sex, and 74% felt that an unattractive smile could hurt a person’s chance for career success. So, it’s no wonder that people are making that trip to the dentist!

Know Before You Go

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), “whitening” is any process that will make teeth appear whiter. This is usually achieved in one of two ways:

• Bleaching products that change the actual color of the tooth
• Non-bleaching whitening products that remove surface stains only

Whitening products usually consist of peroxide-containing whiteners or bleaching agents or whitening toothpastes and are typically doled out by dentists in a dental office setting. Many whitening products can also be purchased over-the counter (OTC).

Drawbacks to Whitening Your Teeth

Teeth whitening is the number one most requested cosmetic service in the United States today. Every year, more than $1.4 billion OTC whitening products are purchased. We see celebrities on television with their pearly, white teeth, and it sends most of us running to our dentists or local drugstores so that we, too, can have the “million dollar smile.” But there are certain consequences that can result from whitening your teeth, which include the following side effects:

• tooth sensitivity
• possible damage to tooth enamel
• possible damage to soft tissue in your mouth
• gum irritation
• ingestion of bleach (typically with home bleaching only)

Teeth whitening can remove the coffee stains and discolorations on your teeth due to cigarette smoking, tobacco chewing, and aging. More importantly, it can give most people added confidence because, after all, when you open up your mouth to talk to someone, the first thing they see are those chompers of yours. Despite all these great things it can do for you, make sure you check with your dentist as well as with your North Carolina Dental Insurance plan. Because teeth whitening is considered more of a cosmetic procedure, a lot of health insurance companies won’t cover it. If you have more questions about what types of insurance plans are available, contact BCBSNC today for a free quote.

Tags: Dental Health //