Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures available. After all, who wouldn't love to have a whiter and brighter smile? Still, with all kinds of at-home teeth-whitening products, many people decide to try whitening their own teeth rather than having it done at a trusted dentist's office. And while there's nothing inherently wrong with at-home whitening, there are some common mistakes that should be avoided.

Using Damaging "Natural" Whiteners

First of all, be careful with those online "recipes" you may find that include ingredients like hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. These ingredients may seem harmless enough (after all, many toothpastes have baking soda as an ingredient), but they can damage your teeth if you're not careful. One popular at-home whitening paste involves mixing equal parts baking soda and peroxide, and that mixture is much too abrasive on the teeth and could result in permanent loss of enamel that makes your teeth more prone to decay.

Whitening Teeth Too Often

When it comes to at-home whitening kits that you can buy from your local grocery store, be careful how often you use these. Ideally, you shouldn't whiten your teeth more than once a year. Too much exposure to harsh whitening products can lead to tooth sensitivity and could even cause discoloration of the teeth. In some cases, overuse of these products could irritate the gums.

Assuming That White Teeth Are Healthy Teeth

White teeth make for a beautiful smile, but remember that white teeth aren't always healthy. Using at-home whitening products to achieve a bright and white smile doesn't negate the need to see your dentist at least twice a year for routine cleanings and exams. Even if your teeth look healthy, you could still have decay or other problems underneath the surface that need to be addressed.

Trying to Whiten Veneers or Dental Implants

Finally, keep in mind that if you have dental implants or veneers, these will be resistant to whitening. In order to match your dental implants or veneers to your whitened teeth, you'll need to have them redone by your cosmetic dentist. Otherwise, you may have teeth that are mismatched in color.

These are just a few of the most common at-home whitening mistakes to avoid. To avoid these problems altogether, remember that you can always see a trusted cosmetic dentist for a professional tooth-whitening procedure instead of relying on store-bought whitening products.

Visit a site such as http://www.pikedentistry.com to find a dentist to consult about your teeth specifically.