Teeth whitening is a fast and affordable way to improve your smile. There are hundreds of teeth whitening products on the market, available either over the counter or from a dentist. With so many options to choose from, it may be hard to decide which product is right for you. Here is some information about teeth whitening that will help you choose the right treatment.
What Kinds of Teeth Whiteners Are There?
Teeth whiteners are available over the counter in the form of toothpastes, gels, strips, and brush-on liquids. Whitening toothpastes have abrasives that remove surface stains on the teeth. They don’t contain any bleach, and can only lighten tooth color by one shade. Teeth whitening gels come with a generic mouth tray that is filled with a peroxide gel and kept in the mouth for a certain amount of time per day for several days. Whitening strips are peroxide adhesive strips that are placed over the teeth and worn for several hours or overnight. Brush-on liquids contain a peroxide solution and are painted on the teeth and worn for several hours each day.
Professional whitening treatments include tray-based at home treatments and in-office bleaching treatments. For at home bleaching, the dentist will provide a custom fitted mouthpiece that is filled with bleaching gel and worn for several hours each day or overnight. During in-office treatments the dentist puts a bleaching solution on the teeth, then uses a heat light or laser on the teeth to activate the bleach. In-office treatments take about 30-60 minutes.
Do Over the Counter Whiteners Work?
Most over the counter whiteners will make teeth a few shades lighter. In general, the products that come in contact with the teeth for the longest period of time will be the most effective. Over the counter products have a lower concentration of peroxide than professional products, so you may have to use them for longer periods than professional treatments to get similar results. There is also a higher risk of gum irritation with over the counter products, because the bleaching gel is more likely to come in contact with gum tissue.
Professional treatments can make teeth up to eight shades lighter with fewer treatments than over the counter products. Because professional bleaching trays are custom fitted to the patient’s teeth, bleach is less likely to contact gum and other soft tissue. During in-office bleaching treatments, the gums are protected, so there is even less risk of irritation.
What Does Teeth Whitening Cost?
According to the Consumer Guide to Dentistry, the average cost of in-office whitening treatments is $650.00 per visit. Take home bleaching trays are $100.00-$400.00 and over the counter products cost approximately $20.00-$100.00. An important cost consideration is how many treatments it will take to achieve the desired results. In the end, over the counter products could end up costing nearly the same as professional treatments.
How Long Will Results Last?
The results of teeth whitening can last from 2-7 years. If your teeth were stained from coffee, tea, or nicotine, and you consume those items after treatment, results will not last as long and will need to be touched up more often.
What are the Risks of Teeth Whitening?
There are some risks associated with teeth whitening. The most common ones are irritation of the soft tissue of the mouth and increased sensitivity to hot or cold. These side effects are often temporary and will go away after discontinued use. The effects of whitening are not permanent and treatments will need to be repeated to maintain whiteness. Veneers, and crowns cannot be bleached, therefore whitened teeth may not match any veneers or crowns you already have.
Teeth Whitening is not for everyone. People under 16 and pregnant women should not use bleaching treatments, as well as those with active gum disease. Extremely deep Tetracycline or fluoride stains do not respond very well to whitening treatments.
Treatments to Avoid
Be wary of buying whitening treatments online, especially those that offer a free or extremely low priced trial product. They often don’t work and the customer ends up getting charged large amounts of money on their credit card. It is best to stay away from online whitening products that have third party endorsements. These are often fake reviews by the companies that market the products.
No matter what kind of whitening method you are considering, it is best to talk to a cosmetic dentist to discuss which treatment will be best for you. Fill out the form below and an experienced consultant will contact you to answer questions and schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist near you.
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