Gum Disease

Professional vs. at Home Teeth Whitening – Berger Dental

Today’s generations are very cosmetically conscience. The demand for teeth whitening has grown every year since the early 2000’s. If it were financially possible everyone would be going to the dentist for teeth whitening treatments regularly. This increase in demand has created a substantial opportunity in the market. Many companies in the dental field now offer at home teeth whitening products. These products come in a wide variety. At home teeth whitening products can include rinses, toothpaste, gel strips, and whitening trays. There are plusses and minuses to both do it yourself teeth whitening and going to the dentist to have it done professionally.

Types of at Home Teeth Whitening Products

There are numerous products in the market for at-home teeth whitening. The easiest of these methods is a whitening rinse. Pretty much all mouthwashes on store shelves today have a teeth whitening agent in them. However, this approach takes the most time to see results. Toothpaste: Toothpaste is also changing to fit demand. Like most mouthwashes, today’s toothpaste is made with a teeth whitening agent. Teeth whitening toothpaste is tremendously popular. However, these items are not perfect. Some users have developed sensitive teeth and gums after using tooth whitening toothpaste. Having sensitive teeth and gums can make it hard to brush your teeth and floss. Sensitive teeth can also affect your ability to eat certain foods. Another form of at home teeth whitening is gel strips. Gel strips usually contain hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. You take the strip and mold is around the front of your teeth. Depending on how strong your product is it can instruct you to put these strips on for five to thirty minutes a day. This process can last anywhere from ten to twenty days. The last of the in-home teeth whitening methods is probably the most difficult but effective way to DIY teeth whitening. This last way is through the use of whitening trays. These whitening trays can prove to be decently costly. Also in-home whitening trays are not made specifically for you. The whitening trays are sold to the public, so they are made to be a one size fits all. However, this is not always the case. The trays are not custom made, so it is possible for them to rub against and possibly irritate your gums.

In Office Teeth Whitening Procedures

One of the most common in-office teeth whitening procedures is very similar to the last in home teeth whitening method. However, there is a difference. As opposed to the whitening trays on sale available to the public dentist can make you whitening trays custom made to your mouth. The benefits of having these custom made whitening trays is much greater than the generic kind. The custom made trays hug your teeth causing the product inside of them to evenly and thoroughly coat your teeth. When doing this in the dentist office, a stronger bleaching solution can also be used on your teeth. A light or heat source may be utilized to help encourage overall teeth whitening at an increased speed. Although, having custom made teeth whitening trays can be costly, once they are made you can take them home and continue to use them. Re-using these custom made trays minimized the cost because over time they will cost you less than if you were to keep buying disposable teeth whitening trays or other products. Dentists also offer a standard in-office whitening procedure. This is a straightforward and easy method to teeth whitening. The process starts off by applying a protective barrier between your gums and teeth. This protective layer is necessary because if the teeth whitening agent comes into contact is can cause slight to moderate irritation. The dentist will then apply the teeth whitening agent once the barrier is set. These chemicals used in the dentist office tend to be stronger than the ones sold commercially.

Which Option Is for You

Teeth whitening at home or choosing to have it done professionally offer different pros and cons. However, when taking all the factors into account, it seems as though getting your teeth whitening done professionally is the better option. Although, rinsing your mouth out and using teeth whitening toothpaste are very simple options they both can take a while to show results. Commercials depict gel strips as very easy and simple to use however this is not always the case. It is possible to have trouble getting the strip to stick to your teeth. This next point is valid for both gel strips and at home teeth whitening trays. The chemicals that both of these products use are not as strong as teeth whitening chemicals used in dentist offices. In turn, this causes results to take longer to appear.  
South Florida Smile Spa, Nicole M. Berger, DDS

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South Florida Smile Spa, Nicole M. Berger, DDS

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