What is The Best Teeth Whitening Treatment Available?

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening is non-invasive process that involves using chemicals on your teeth and a special light to create a reaction that causes your teeth to lighten. Nearly all teeth whitening procedures contain the active ingredient peroxide, which must be handled with care as it can cause irritation and soreness if it comes into direct contact with your gums. The strength of peroxide used will determine how effective a whitening procedure will be and how many sessions are likely to be required.

What types of teeth whitening treatment are available?

There are countless different products and services that claim to be able to whiten your teeth. Many patients are looking for the best value solution, but this isn’t necessarily the cheapest option on the market. The better grade and higher concentration the peroxide is, the more expensive it becomes.

At the lowest end of the spectrum is products such as toothpaste and mouthwash that claim to be able to lighten your teeth. Since these are sold over the counter, they are only allowed to contain a very low concentration of bleach. This means that they need to be used over a very long period of time to have any effect at all. Eventually, you may notice a slight improvement in the color of your teeth, but the benefits of these products wear off very quickly and you will need to ensure you carry on using them if you want to have any hope of maintaining the results long-term. It is also important to know that many of these cheaper products contain abrasives that scrub away the outer surface of the teeth to make them look whiter. However, this can actually damage the enamel, causing tiny holes to appear and making it more likely that decay and further damage may occur.

If you are looking for something a little more effective, then you could consider a specialist take-home tooth whitening product or take-home tray provided by your dentist. The bleach solutions offered in these are a higher concentration, meaning that the results are better, and you may need fewer sessions to achieve the whiteness that you are looking for. Nevertheless, applying the bleach yourself can be tricky at best. This means that you are more likely to get the solution on your gums, causing pain and irritation. It also means that you may obtain an inconsistent result since you may not have painted the bleach on evenly.

For the very best results possible, we strongly recommend that you consider in-office teeth whitening. Yes, it is the most expensive type of teeth whitening treatment available, but it is also by far the most effective. Your dentist will be able to use the highest concentration of bleach possible and apply the solution for you, minimizing contact with your mouth and gums and avoiding irritation. With a better view of your mouth, your dentist will also be able to ensure that the application is even, meaning that you will achieve not only the whitest possible teeth, but also a much more consistent and long-lasting result.

Professional teeth whitening can simply and effectively transform the appearance of your smile in just a few short sessions. To find out more or to schedule your consultation to discuss whether whitening is a suitable solution for your teeth, please contact our offices.