Nowadays, there are so many whitening options whether it’s do it yourself whitening or in-office whitening. Mostly everyone wants a nice white smile to give them better confidence in their ever day life. In this blog you’ll learn the difference between DIY whitening and in-office whitening to decide which option is best for you.
You may be wondering what are the active ingredients that are in teeth whitening products? All whitening agents use a peroxide ingredient. Whitening varies according to the strength of the peroxide content. A mild whitening product can contain as little as only 10% of peroxide while a much stronger whitener can contain as much as 40% peroxide. Buying over the counter teeth whitening products like whitening strips have a much lower concentration of peroxide. When you get whitening from a dental office, whether it be custom-made take home trays or in-office ZOOM whitening, the results are much better because the peroxide solution is much stronger.
How white can your teeth get from do it yourself whitening vs. in-office whitening? Whether you use do it yourself whitening at home or our in-office whitening, the whitening solution can only make your teeth as white as your natural tooth color. This is ultimately determined by the thickness of your enamel and how stained the dentine is underneath it. Teeth whitening can remove any stains from food, coffee and wine from the enamel. With store bought whitening you are not getting as much peroxide as whitening you get from a dental office so; it will not whiten your teeth as much as professional whitening. Over the counter whitening can definitely improve the whiteness of your teeth, but this will take a lot longer than in-office whitening.
You’re probably wondering will whitening products improve my entire smile? Do it yourself at home whitening typically only whitens your front teeth, given the way they are designed. In-office professional whitening will whiten your whole smile more effectively. With custom-made take-home trays you will put the whitening gel into the trays to place in your mouth for about 7-15 minutes a day for 7 to 10 days. The whitening gel solution will coat the side teeth just as effectively as the front teeth, giving you a more consistent white smile. If you have about an hour to spend in our office, we can do ZOOM whitening. ZOOM whitening is another great full mouth whitening solution. One of our great dentists or dental assistants will apply a hydrogen peroxide gel directly to your teeth and then shine a specialized ZOOM light on the teeth to brighten your smile. The light and gel work together to give you the best possible whitening results.
This all sounds great, but what’s the catch? The side effects from any type of whitening depending on the person can cause sensitivity for the treatment period. Typically, when you buy store bought whitening you will not experience any sensitivity because of the low levels of peroxide. If you have sensitive teeth some dentists will suggest using a store-bought whitening to start off and then moving forward to an in-office whitening treatment. After your whitening treatment you should avoid eating or drinking extremely hot or extremely cold foods or drinks, which can cause sensitivity. Another side effect from teeth whitening can be irritated and burning gums. This should be only minor and will heal, but it can be unpleasant. Our dentists will teach our patients on how to properly use the whitening gel at home so you don’t risk burning your gums or making your teeth sensitive.
Schedule a free new patient consultation to see which whitening treatment is the best option for you. Give us a call at 215-568-6222 or send us an email at info@phillydentistry.com and don’t forget to follow us on social media @PhillyDentistry thanks for reading!
