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Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental treatment that uses peroxide-based bleaching agents that are designed to lighten the colour of your teeth. Oxygen acts on the tooth enamel as the active ingredient in the whitening gel breaks down, causing the whitening effect on your smile.
Today, there are many teeth whitening options available, and this can make it difficult to choose the right one for you. There are a number of differences between professional teeth whitening at your dental office and the at-home options, and pros and cons of each.
What Are the Active Ingredients in Whitening Products?
All whitening products use a peroxide solution. Whitening agents vary according to the strength of their peroxide content. A mild whitening agent may have as little as 10% peroxide while a much stronger teeth whitener could contain as much as 40% peroxide solution.
Over-the-counter products offered in stores to whiten your teeth are some of the mildest whiteners with the lowest concentration of peroxide. Dentist whitening agents, including take-home whitening trays, are much stronger. This means that they will not whiten your teeth nearly as much as professional treatments will.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
In-office whitening provides an immediate transformation to your smile, and the results tend to be better because your dentist uses higher-concentration bleaching gels.
Since in-office whitening treatments are performed by a trained dental professional, it is generally considered to be a reliable and safe procedure for most smiles. To help with their patients' safety, dentists will not provide this treatment to people who can't pass a basic oral health screening.
If you choose to whiten your teeth at the dentist's office, the procedure is simple and non-invasive. You can even relax and listen to music while your dentist removes stains to lighten your smile.
At-Home Teeth Whitening
At-home teeth whitening is a do-it-yourself alternative that typically costs less than in-office teeth whitening available at your dentist’s office. The best part? You can do it from the comfort of your own home.
Most patients notice a difference in 10 to 14 days, and the full results will appear at the end of your treatment period. But because at-home whitening products have lower concentrations of bleaching gels, they rarely provide the same degree of whitening that you would get from an in-office treatment.
If you do opt for the at-home option, try to find one available through your dentist. Most dentists who offer in-office options also offer an at-home version, which involves creating a whitening tray custom-fitted to your smile.
If you would like to lighten your teeth at home, avoid over-the-counter products unless you only want very incremental whitening. Drug store whitening kits don't have the strength that professional-grade whitening provides so patients often won't achieve the results they're looking for. These whitening kits can also irritate gums and soft tissue because they aren't customized to fit your mouth.