Useful Information On Dental Whitening Methods

By Frank J.Senturi


There is little doubt that a professional dental whitening system is very expensive. Some of the procedures cost more than $1000 and may require more than one visit to the dentist. Most people, unless their teeth are very stained, elect to use a home tooth bleaching system, such as Crest White Strips or other home kits that lighten the color of the teeth.

If you are interested in how these products work, then read on and you will realize that in very many cases there is no need to visit a cosmetic dentist in order to keep a nice white smile.

Once upon a time, the dental whitening system worked through the use of a plastic tray and bleaching gel. The contraption was molded to each individual's mouth and the tray, after filling it with the special whitening gel, was left in overnight. Unfortunately, the gel lost its effectiveness after a few hours and there was also irritation to the gums and throat from the substance being in the mouth for such a prolonged period of time.

Items such as Crest White Strips have eliminated the need for the bulky whitening trays and bleach that stayed on overnight. These whitening strips are applied to the teeth and then left on for fifteen to thirty minutes twice a day. Some of the new lines are applied only at night.

Some of the new types of whitening strips are applied only at night. The reason is that most people, after brushing their teeth at night, do not eat or drink anything until they wake up in the morning, therefore leaving the whitening agent on the tooth surface longer.

Teeth whitening kits also are produced in generic versions such as Equate found at Wal-Mart. Truth be told, they can be just as effective as their brand name counterparts. If you are unsure if a generic teeth whitening kit is of the same quality as a brand name, then take a look at the ingredients list. Chances are the active ingredients are the same for both brand and generic and you may actually save a few extra dollars with the generic kit.

If in the past you have encountered enamel problems with your teeth, the use of a dental whitening system may not be recommended. The gel can cause irritation, pain and in some instances, an allergic reaction may be the result of using this kind of product.

The majority of adults do not have problems with using the whitening kits and you may not either. You can always talk with your dentist about a tooth whitening product that he or she recommends based on your dental history.