All Teeth Whitening Procedures are Not Created Equal
A brilliant white smile is important in American culture. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, and it can be as straight and aligned as possible, but if it’s yellow and stained, you’re likely not making the impression you think you are. And nowadays it’s really easy to get your teeth whitened – from whitening toothpaste to at-home whitening kits, and even professional teeth whitening treatments from cosmetic dentists – it’s not hard to brighten up your smile a bit. But which avenue is best? Safest? Most effective? Most cost-effective?
Let’s take a look…
Over the Counter Teeth Whitening Products
Alright, so, teeth whitening toothpaste. These use low levels of peroxide, and are decently effective at removing surface stains without harming your enamel. Usually, it’s going to take a few weeks to see the work that the toothpaste is doing. Some contain a chemical that actually adheres a blue tint to the surface of your teeth, creating the illusion of your teeth being whiter, but it’s not actually fixing the issue. At the end of the day, teeth whitening toothpastes are more useful for maintenance between professional teeth whitening sessions at a cosmetic dentist’s office. And one important note: when choosing a whitening toothpaste, make sure it’s ADA approved so you know it’s safe for your gums and enamel.
When we take a look at OTC teeth whitening kits, we see a lot of the same things, just at a higher strength. At-home kits usually use about a 10% concentration of peroxide for whitening. This level is safe for your gums and enamel, but can still cause teeth and gum sensitivity, especially if used more than directed. LED teeth whitening kits are pretty safe, too, when used infrequently. Overall, you can get a middle-of-the-road whitening effect from at-home teeth whitening, but you’re not going to get at those deeper-set stains and discoloration. And you don’t want to overload on the OTC treatments trying to get those deep stains, only to hurt the health of your teeth and gums.
Advantages of Going to a Teeth Whitening Dentist
There are several advantages to seeing a teeth whitening dentist for your teeth whitening treatment. First, it’s inherently safer because it’s performed by a professional who understands the intricacies of outer and inner tooth health. Secondly, they can track your whitening progress, how it affects your teeth, and tailor a treatment plan for you that combines max safety with max efficacy. Thirdly, the treatment you get from a teeth whitening dentist is leagues more effective than at-home kits. You get treatments with up to 4x the strength of an at-home kit, but the safety precautions taken and skill used to do the teeth whitening make it just as safe, if not safer, than OTC teeth whitening.
Point is, nowadays, if you want whiter teeth, you can get them; it’s easy. It really just depends on how deep set in your stains are and what your expected result is.