Individuals who have stained or discolored teeth often wonder if at home teeth whitening will beautify their chompers. Indeed, some of the at-home teeth whitening solutions available at the local store will lighten the shade of your teeth. However, these methods will not work as quickly as in-office teeth whitening performed in a dentist’s office. Furthermore, your dentist knows exactly how to whiten your teeth without jeopardizing your gums and the rest of your mouth. There is an advantage to at-home teeth whitening in that it usually costs less money, at least in the short-term.
Examples of at Home Teeth Whitening Options
You will find all sorts of different at-home teeth whitening solutions at your local store. Anything from whitening strips to whitening gels will likely be available. However, these products are not as strong as products from a professional dentist. Some products are ineffective, while others really will lighten the shade of your teeth in due time.
Whitening strips and gels are two of the most popular options to beautify the teeth. These whitening products are applied directly to the teeth in an easy and straightforward fashion. If you choose the gel version, you will apply it with a small brush once or twice per day across a couple weeks. Strips work in a similar manner with the gel inside of the strips. People add these strips to the teeth prior to sleeping. The strips whiten the shade of the teeth overnight when one continues to apply them across an extended period of time.
How do At Home Teeth Whitening Solutions Work?
The vast majority of at-home teeth whitening solutions work with a bleaching agent known as hydrogen peroxide. This agent is responsible for lightening the shade of the teeth. Hydrogen peroxide is essential as it releases oxygen in the mouth. These molecules interact in a chemical manner with staining materials and subsequently lift them off the teeth.
The concentration of hydrogen peroxide varies from one product to the next. In general, such products typically contain about 15 percent hydrogen peroxide. At most, they can have upward of 40 percent hydrogen peroxide. If there is in an especially high concentration, you might enjoy whiter teeth in as little as a week’s time. However, most at home teeth whitening solutions will take upwards of several weeks to prove effective.
Is At Home Teeth Whitening Worth the Money, Time and Effort?
The answer to this question hinges on your budget, free time, the degree of staining and other factors. While whitening gels and strips are often temporarily effective, they do have some shortcomings, especially in comparison to the whitening services offered at the dentist’s office. The at-home whitening solutions available at your local store are flawed in that they typically only whiten the front portion of the tooth.
These alleged solutions do not clean the grooves and other difficult-to-reach parts of the teeth. This flaw is especially common with teeth whitening strips. Choose brush-on gels and you will find it is easier to enjoy the complete coverage. Yet gels are problematic in that they require the product to bond to the teeth and stay dry. This feat is easier said than done.
For more teeth whitening information or to schedule an appointment with Dazzling Smile Dental Group, request an appointment in our Bayside dental office here: https://www.dazzlemysmile.com. Or call us at (718) 841-9535.