Teeth Whitening: Leave it to the Professionals

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x Probably the easiest step you can take is just swapping out your regular toothpaste and mouthwash for a whitening variety, which can help to lighten stains with regular use. Beyond that, home whitening kits come in a variety of forms, from pens, to strips, and complete mouth guard kits. Depending on the kit’s ingredients and brand, you’re probably able to pick one up at your local grocery store or drugstore.

However, while home kits are affordable and easily accessible, most don’t contain enough active ingredients to effectively lift stains from the teeth. In fact, legally, these products have to contain less than 10% of carbamide peroxide and no more than 3.5% of hydrogen peroxide, the most common teeth whitening bleaches. Additionally, when using a home mouth guard kit, it’s possible to have gel spillage onto your gums, which can cause irritations and blisters.

So, if you’re looking to try whitening your teeth at home, your best bet is visiting your dentist first to make sure that teeth whitening is the right option for you. Once you receive your dentist’s okay, be sure to complete a dental checkup and cleaning so you can be sure to start whitening your teeth on a clean slate.

Teeth whitening done at your dentist’s office is the safest way to see results.

Professional bleaching involves the dentist creating a mold of your teeth, then using a gel inside the mold to whiten them. Laser whitening is more expensive, but it produces a better result by painting powder bleach onto your teeth and then using lasers to activate the whitening process.

Is Teeth Whitening Safe?

Still wondering if teeth whitening is safe? Before committing to making your pearly whites pearlier and whiter, when you are done at the dentist you can rest assured that teeth whitening is considered safe. However, when done improperly and without professional advice, tooth and gum sensitivity can occur. These effects are often short-term and treatable, with no long-term effects being recorded as of yet. When used in a proper environment, teeth whitening can be a safe way to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted.