For decades, people have been whitening their teeth in hopes of getting those Hollywood pearly whites - but how safe is brightening your smile at home?
Celebrities and social media trends have boosted interest in various methods that come with variable results, such as rubbing baking soda or banana peels on your chompers.
But the biggest concerns lie with bleach-based kits that can be taken home and used at the daily dentist's office - i.e. the bathroom sink.
Can the average smile enthusiast be entrusted with managing this type of oral health?
As dentist Assil Russell told Seven Sharp, bleach-based products are "not very safe at all" and interested people should get their teeth checked in advance.
"I'd really recommend they see their dentist first for a check-up and x-rays to make sure that [their teeth] are suitable for whitening, that they don't have any cavities or any calculus [dental plaque] that needs to be treated first," she said
She warns of the damage that can be done to teeth by using whitening kits bought online or visiting walk-in teeth whitening businesses without seeing an oral professional first.
"Depending on the concentration of the bleaching agent... [DIY kits] can do some serious damage to [people's] teeth, for example if the bleaching agent is put on a tooth that has a cavity or decay, it can cause pain [and] damage the nerve of that tooth irreversibly," Russell warned.
"If the bleaching agent is high enough in concentration and based on the gum, [it] can cause a chemical burn to the gums that can also be irreversible."
Even non-bleach-based products can cause potential harm, such as brushing your teeth with activated charcoal or baking soda.
As methods that involve abrasion, Russell said they can be useful in removing surface stains, but brushers run the risk of damage tooth enamel, ultimately making their teeth more sensitive and possibly even more prone to stains.
But, there's a potential bright side for those who need whitening the most - if you had an accident that caused your teeth to get darker, ACC may be able to help you out.
"If you've had an accident that's been registered with ACC... definitely go and see a dentist because they might be able to apply for an approval, in which case the whitening treatment can be subsidised," Russel said, adding that the treatment is done inside the tooth, rather than externally as DIY kits generally do.
To find out more, watch the full interview in the video above.
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