Take Home Teeth Whitening System

If you're looking for an alternative to professional teeth whitening in a dental office, then do-it-yourself at-home whitening might be right for you. There are dozens of home whitening options available for every budget and temperament – whether professionally dispensed, store-bought or sold on the Internet. Many teeth-whiteners are pre-mixed and ready to use; others require mixing at home.

It may surprise you to learn that many dental professionals believe that dentist-dispensed whitening trays and whitening strips – when used as directed – can be even more successful than in-office bleaching over the long haul. A key reason is their ongoing use, combined with the fact that small amounts of bleach remain within the tooth structure for up to 36 hours. When a new dose of bleach is applied to a tooth retaining the previous day's peroxide, its effect is greater.

However, there are pitfalls to whitening your teeth at home. For example, if you have an underlying condition like tooth decay or gum disease, you could end up enduring extreme pain depending on the concentration of peroxide used. The following article should help you evaluate all the pros and cons of DIY whitening.

Advantages of At-Home Teeth Whitening

Long-term results: Dental professionals agree that the only way to maintain your whitened teeth is with at-home bleaching products, repeated regularly – preferably every four to six months. But lately, many dentists are advising people with very dark-stained or tetracycline-affected teeth to continue home bleaching over a period of months (or up to a year) for optimal results. What's interesting is, the newest teeth whitening strips on the consumer market are intended for five-minute use every day, like brushing or flossing.

Variety: You have a choice of whitening trays, strips or paint-on products, as well as numerous whitening accessories.

Convenience: You can do home whitening at any time of the day or night, for short or extended periods.

Portability: You can also use at-home whitening strips while on the go or at the office.

Cost: Over-the-counter whiteners range from $4 to $100, while dentist-dispensed products cost approximately $400. By contrast, in-office whitening costs an average of $650 per session.

Don't Over do it!

Although you can get over-the-counter whiteners without a dentist's recommendation, if you over-use them or use them incorrectly, they can harm your tooth enamel and irritate your gum tissue. Also, over-bleaching can produce an undesirable bluish hue, chalky whiteness or uneven results (otherwise known as "the technicolor effect").

Supervision by a dentist can prevent these problems. To ensure the health of your smile, see your dentist before choosing an over-the-counter tooth whitener and beginning the bleaching process. Dentists know a lot about these products and can help you choose the right one and use it correctly.

Also keep in mind:

The stronger the peroxide formula, the more rapid its effect; the weaker the formula, the longer it can remain on the teeth safely. A low-percentage bleach used overnight every night of the week will produce about the same results as a high-percentage "day-bleach" that stays on the teeth one hour per day for seven days.

The best time to begin at-home whitening is soon after a dental hygienist's prophylactic cleaning. This procedure removes the surface layer of plaque and grime that can interfere with bleaching.

Dentists and oral care companies urge brushing and flossing the teeth just prior to any kind of at-home or on-the-go whitening.

For best results, don't consume food or beverages (excluding water) for a couple of hours after whitening.

Dentist-Dispensed Take-Home Whitening Trays

According to dental professionals, the best bleaching results come from dentist-dispensed take-home kits – particularly those that are used over extended periods. These kits contain higher percentages of bleach than over-the-counter kits and typically consist of:

Custom-fitted application trays made of a flexible plastic material and offer several benefits: 1) They help ensure that the bleach stays in contact with the teeth, for maximum whitening, 2) They help prevent saliva from coming into contact with the bleaching agent (which can dilute its strength), and 3) They minimize the amount of bleach that can dribble onto (and potentially irritate) the gums

Bleaching compounds are either pre-loaded into the trays or stored in syringes and added to the trays just before use. In many cases, your dentist can fine-tune the bleach concentration and add a desensitizing agent to use before or after application. Generally the kits provide enough gel for one two-week treatment per year, plus one- or two-day touch-ups every four to six months.

The Procedure for Obtaining a Take-Home Whitening Kit

Professional take-home teeth whitening kits available from your dentist contain a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide and provide excellent results in 1 to 2 weeks of prescribed use.

Custom-fit trays keep the whitening solution on the surface of the tooth to be whitened, and allow for only slight exposure of the solution to the sensitive gingival area. The cost of take-home whitening is considerably lower than in-office whitening.

The typical procedure followed in the dental office to obtain an in-home teeth whitening kit would be: 1) Impressions are taken of your upper and lower teeth and sent to the dental laboratory to make your trays. It will normally take 1 to 2 weeks for the dental lab to make your trays. The initial shade of your teeth is recorded in your dental chart for comparison when whitening has been completed. 2) An appointment will be made to show you how to dispense the teeth whitening solution in the trays and give you detailed instructions to follow. Take-home teeth whitening is typically used one hour a day for two weeks, and can be used for touch-up applications thereafter. Certain brands may be worn overnight for your convenience. Always brush and floss your teeth before placing the trays in your mouth, and avoid eating, drinking, or smoking while wearing the trays and for approximately 30 minutes after teeth whitening. 3) A follow-up appointment is made to track your results and determine the final shade of your teeth.

Whitening Toothpaste

Technically speaking, all toothpastes are whitening toothpastes, since they remove surface plaque and debris. But only a few contain key whitening ingredients: chemical bleaching agents and abrasives in high concentrations.

When used regularly, these toothpastes may offer backup support for tooth whitening. Of course, given that brushing time is limited to a minute or two, that support is minimal. But since we all brush every day, some consider whitening toothpastes to be potential whitening enhancers.

Toothpastes with Peroxide

Because toothpaste foams all over the mouth and is swallowed, the percentage of any bleach it contains is low, to avoid irritation.

Toothpastes with Abrasives

Most toothpastes clean the teeth with finely ground abrasives such as silica, aluminum oxide, calcium carbonate and baking soda. Whitening toothpastes contain more of these abrasives – though the paradox here is that overuse can cause more stains and can also dull the surface of dental crowns and veneers.

Whitening Floss

Floss may seem like an unlikely part of the tooth-whitening regimen, particularly as it is in contact with the teeth for only a second or two. But over the long haul, using whitening floss daily may assist with stain removal in the narrow space between the teeth, an area that even in-office bleaching has a hard time reaching.

Whitening floss differs from standard dental floss in its use of mild abrasives, typically silica.

Schedule Your Teeth Whitening Appointment

Our Arlington cosmetic dentist provides a comprehensive selection of teeth whitening treatments. To learn more, or to schedule a visit, contact our office at 781-648-0279. We proudly welcome patients from Arlington, MA, and all surrounding areas, including Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown, Winchester and Woburn.