If you are considering teeth-whitening, there are many available options. Inexpensive whitening kits can even be purchased over-the-counter. However, there are valid reasons for sticking with professional whitening. Here are a few advantages to professional teeth whitening:
Professional Whitening At Home
Nowadays, your dentist can prescribe a whitening kit that you can use at home. Much like medication that cannot be purchased over-the-counter, these kits can only be obtained from your dental professional. Although they allow whitening at home, professional whitening kits include trays that are customized to fit your mouth, and they are made to cover all of your teeth effectively. These special trays cost about $400.
Drug store whitening kits may only whiten a few of your front teeth. Thus, if you have a wide smile, your un-whitened teeth may still be visible. Additionally, the professional kits whiten more effectively than most over-the-counter kits because a higher concentration of peroxide is used. Consistent application over a period of weeks is required.
Professional In-Office Whitening
Whitening that is performed in your dentist's office can be completed in about an hour. Results are quick, but several whitening sessions may be needed to achieve your desired level of whitening. In-office whitening uses a more concentrated peroxide solution than that used in at-home kits and can whiten your teeth up to 8 shades lighter in one session.
The price, which is about $600, is a bit higher than that of a professional at-home kit. And to maintain the whiteness achieved by your in-office treatment, your dentist may suggest periodic whitening treatments at home with a more dilute peroxide solution. Nevertheless, over 82.5 percent of people surveyed say that they saw a noticeable improvement in the whiteness of their teeth after an in-office whitening session.
Tooth Safety
Professional whitening is effective, but it is also safe. A professional dental provider, like those at NorthShore Family Dentistry, will examine your teeth to ensure that your teeth are healthy enough for a whitening treatment. Areas where the enamel has worn away can cause your tooth whitening solution to make your teeth overly sensitive or even painful. Enamel protects the dentin layer of the tooth, and you may not be aware of sections of exposed dentin. Your dentist can easily spot compromised areas during a visual examination. In addition, the gel used in professional whitening is designed not to penetrate the enamel so deeply that severe sensitivity results.
No tooth whitening system is designed to remove every dental discoloration. Stains that come from congenital conditions, medication side-effects or excessive fluoride exposure, do not respond to whitening treatments. However, stains that stem from food, drink or aging typically respond well. To achieve the best, safest whitening results, consider a professional whitening procedure. Your dentist can help you decide on the best option for you.
Share26 June 2015
When the bottled water craze began, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else who was drinking water from bottles instead of from the tap. I wasn't sure why bottled water was healthier, but I liked the taste. When I went for my next dental check-up, I had my first cavity in a while, so I had it filled and didn't think much of it. Well, I had two more during my next check-up after that, and I began trying to think of why my teeth were suddenly going bad. The only change in my habits was the switch to bottled water, so I made the switch back to tap water and my teeth began to improve. I created this blog to encourage others who have begun getting cavities suddenly to look into their changes in habits. They may find they made a change similar to mine.