Teeth Whitening Methods

In this day and age, pearly white teeth are a mark of beauty. There are several methods to make your chompers shine, whether you are at home or in a dentist’s office. Here are your different teeth whitening options.

In-office bleaching

Perhaps the most effective method of teeth whitening occurs in the dentist’s office. This relatively quick procedure can be a bit pricey but you definitely get the most bang for your buck. With in-office bleaching results are immediate.

Teeth are first polished with pumice then your mouth is stuffed with gauze to keep teeth dry during the procedure. Teeth are then coated with a whitening solution composed of either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Several methods utilize a curing light or laser to heat the solution.

Teeth Whitening Trays and Gels

This home whitening method does not provide the immediate results of in-office bleaching. These clear trays are typically worn for a couple of hours a day or while you sleep. It usually takes about 3 days to a couple of weeks before any results will be noticeable.

For the best results speak to your dentist about whitening kits that can be purchased through them. The over-the-counter kits are not as effective.

Whitening Strips

This is the most well-known form of teeth whitening. You can see them popping up in drug stores on nearly every street corner. They are fairly inexpensive and most of them work exceptionally well. These work by applying a thin clear strip coated with peroxide directly to the teeth.

These typically take longer to produce results but are the easiest to do at home.

Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

Teeth whitening toothpaste contains a mild abrasive to remove surface blemishes on teeth. Some toothpaste may contain polishing agents and special chemicals which are more effective against stains than regular toothpaste.

However, whitening pastes often do not contain chemicals to “bleach” your teeth.