Teeth whitening seems to be all the rage in the last few years. Dental offices and salons are offering high-priced services with custom-fitted dental trays and multiple visits to the dentist's office. At times the pricing for this kind of service has approached $500 and sometimes as high as $1000.
It seems that some people believe that you have to spend a lot of money
to get it done right. That's fine for them, but it's not necessarily true. And I warn you to not fall into that trap, since there are many lower cost treatments that are very effective. Recent years have spawned many DIY kits that are being sold in drug stores, on TV, and online. These kits can range from high-priced to almost affordable. There are a few different methods, from tape strips to DIY dental trays. Each have their pro's and con's. But before we cover the delivery methods, let's talk for a minute about the ingredients.
The ingredients usually contain some sort of peroxide. It could be hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, usually in a gel base, but sometimes in a paste or brush-on liquid. Peroxide is an effective bleach for removing stains. However, peroxide is caustic (that means it will burn) to the gums. So usually a diluted solution is used varying from 10% to 22% strength. At times the other ingredients can act as a buffer to aid in reducing sensitivity.
If you have sensitive teeth there are a couple of things you should do to protect yourself. First, prepare your teeth by brushing for a couple of weeks with a toothpaste for sensitive teeth like the widely available Sensodyne. Second, start with a lower strength solution (for example 12% to 15%) to protect your teeth and gums. Be prepared to use the solution for a longer duration since it may take longer to achieve your desired results. If you still experience sensitivity with a lower strength solution, take a break for a few days and recommence the treatment. As a cautionary note, if you have sensitive teeth or gums, you may want to consult your dentist to get his advice. Some with sensitivities have experienced irreparable damage by jumping teeth first into the higher strength solutions. So a few words with your dentist or a knowledgeable pharmacist certainly couldn't hurt.
The at home solutions range from DIY dental trays to the simple, yet effective, white strips. Dental trays can vary widely in price and effectiveness. Professional dental trays are designed to form to your teeth. The advantage of these trays is that they hold the bleaching solution directly against your teeth and protect the solution from washing off with your saliva. Of course, no matter what the delivery medium, you should never eat or drink while treating your teeth. Other at home trays can vary from reusable molds that you suck to form to your teeth and mail in for a custom mold to temporary reusable molds that don't require mailing.
At home adhesive white strips can vary in quality and effectiveness. Usually you get a set of strips to use once or twice per day. One strip for the top teeth and another strip for the lower teeth. The effectiveness can vary greatly depending on how much you salivate. It's usually not too hard to leave the strips on for 30 minutes to an hour, but eventually they will work their way loose from your teeth and you can just discard them in the trash. The Crest brand white strips get very good reviews from dentists and users alike. You may find that some store brand strips will work well for you.
The brush-on style treatments really suffer the most from being diluted by your saliva. You may find yourself walking around with a silly, plastered on smile to keep your teeth dry to extend the effectiveness of the treatment. In my opinion, don't waste your money on this style of treatment.
The toothpaste based whiteners probably will not damage your teeth or gums, but their effectiveness is measured much more slowly. I find this type of treatment works better in combination with the white strips or dental trays.
The bottom line here is that there are two things you should consider. The first consideration is your level of tooth sensitivity and the second is your level of price sensitivity. If you have physical sensitivities, start at a lower strength solution and work your way up from there being prepared to take breaks along the way to give your teeth and gums a rest. If your sensitivities are price-based then by all means start out with the lower priced store brand treatments and work your way up from there. The store brand treatments will certainly give you one or two shades of improvement over the course of time.
I guess if I had to leave you with one word of caution, I would say this, "Don't expect immediate results overnight." Give yourself plenty of time and be willing to take it easy on your gums and teeth. Extreme solutions could possibly yield extreme problems or irreparable damage.
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