Teeth whitening can seem like the long awaited answer to coffee-ridden shy smiles.  Anyone who cares about their looks, and drinks coffee and tea regularly is bound to have noticed their teeth turning a little more yellowish lately.

It can cause a panic attack whereby one runs to the dentists or spa clinic to get a professional teeth whitening job done.  Or, for the more frugal yellow smilers, the $30 one-size-fits-all teeth whitening trays at the drug store will do just fine.

Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock in the last couple years can’t help but notice the many Internet ads, dentist suggestions and amazing deal offers for teeth whitening that have popped up all of a sudden, as if it’s the new black.

And people will always say that it causes sensitivity for a while.  But did you know teeth whitening can do much more than that?

Truly speaking, the process of whitening teeth can be gruesome to your teeth enamel.  If over done, or done improperly, the following dramatic side effects could occur:

• Your teeth can turn blue
• Your teeth will appear white only in some areas – either becoming blotchy from a job not well done at home, or because false teeth or fillings aren’t affected, thus creating a multi-coloured mouth!
• Your gums can recede
• Vomiting from accidentally swallowing hydrogen peroxide
• Bad breath from alcohol
• Teeth dehydration from glycerin
• Chemical burns

Skeptics also believe that with the chemical effects that cause teeth pores to open up, not only will sensitivity become an issue, but you will become more prone to teeth decay.  Even worse is that your teeth may stain more easily in the future.

Even whitening tooth paste ingredients can contain chemicals that actually break away at your teeth enamel, with the idea that taking off the top stained layer will reveal a whiter layer underneath.  This is not a long-term strategy, since teeth thin with age anyway, and when they do, they can crack more easily.

Teeth whitening may also just not work for some people.  If your teeth were darkened from using tetracycline for acne, your case is almost irreversible.  Same goes for teeth that have had a root canal.  Crowns, bridges and filling also cannot be whitened.

If your teeth are currently undergoing construction at the dentist’s office, beware of feeling rushed by your dentist to get your teeth whitened too soon.  You may need to let the teeth settle for a while.

For those who have sensitive teeth already, the cost of pain associated with a teeth whitening procedure may not be worth the perceived value.  Imagine how much worse it will be when you take in hot, cold, sweet or acidic foods.

Alternatives to a brighter smile include natural options such as rinsing your mouth with baking soda every once in a while.  It might taste gross, but it beats the harsh side effects of using hydrogen peroxide.  And of course, no one can deny that simply avoiding the foods that cause teeth stains in the first place is the best way to a whiter set of jewels!