Teeth Whitening At Our Pittsburgh Office Vs. Over-The-Counter Teeth Bleaching Kits
There is nothing more valuable than the self-esteem gained from having a terrific smile. A smile that is free from stains and yellowing truly is a memorable one. The problem is that not everyone can maintain that bright white smile over a lifetime. To help in tis case, there are teeth whitening options. However, the challenge here is that there are just too many teeth whitening options available out there.
Have you ever wondered how the over the counter teeth bleaching kits stack up to in-office teeth whitening done by a dentist? If so, let us take a look at it right now.
Types of At Home Teeth Whitening Products
There are many different at home teeth whitening products available in the market. They include:
- Toothpaste
- Whitening Strips
- Chewing Gum
- Whitening Trays
- Mouthwash
How Effective Are At Home Teeth Whitening Products?
At home teeth whitening products are effective to a small extent only. They typically require continuous use over a very long period of time (6 months to a year) to show any noticeable results. Among these products, the whitening trays are the most effective and mouthwash and Chewing gum are the least effective. A long continuous use of these products could potentially cause teeth sensitivity.
How Is Professional Teeth Whitening Performed?
There are many different professional teeth whitening options including Glo Teeth Whitening and Zoom. The inherent procedure is quite similar in all these options. Your dentist first cleans your teeth of any plaque. Then she isolates your mouth so that the teeth stay dry and the beaching agent does not reach the gums or tongue. Typical bleaching agent is hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The dentist applies it to the front of your teeth. Then a curing or a laser light is used to activate the peroxide. Typically the procedure takes anywhere from 30-90 minutes. The different options available out there differ in the effectiveness of the laser/curing light that they use.
How Effective Is Professional Teeth Whitening?
Professional Teeth Whitening very effective. It takes 30-90 minutes to significantly whiten your teeth. Zoom typically whitens 6-8 shades lighted. Whereas, Glo Science whitens up to 12 shades lighter. Professional teeth whitening also does not cause much sensitivity to teeth. In fact, GLO Science Whitening causes no sensitivity to teeth.
There are two reasons why professional teeth whitening is so effective compared to over the counter teeth whitening options. The first is that the whitening gel used in professional whitening is way stronger than the one available in over the counter options. The gel can only be applied under an expert’s supervision. Second reason is that the curing/laser light is also more effective in a professional whitening option.
