Are any types of teeth whitening treatment safe or effective? The answer is that while risks of teeth whitening do exist, there is a such thing as safe and effective teeth whitening, whether you are doing it yourself at home or trusting a professional, such as a dentist, to whiten your teeth for you.
The two major exceptions to this rule are:
- Women who are nursing or pregnant; other than perhaps baking soda, there is no proven method of pregnancy safe teeth whitening.
- Little ones / children with baby teeth
With that being said, here’s what you need to know about teeth whitening products from a dental professional.
At Home Teeth Whitening Options
Whether you are looking to whiten teeth that have yellowed due to age, consumption of your favorite morning beverage, or something else, the desire to whiten teeth is common. Luckily, as my dental practice, The Super Dentists, notes there are plenty of safe and effective at-home teeth whitening methods, including:
- Chewing Gum: Chewing whitening gum both stimulates saliva production and provides mild teeth-whitening properties. Not suitable for those who wear braces.
- Whitening Toothpastes or Rinses: Most toothpastes and mouthpastes contain natural polishing agents to remove surface stains. Rinses, meanwhile, may feature hydrogen peroxide in low concentrations to help whiten teeth.
- Whitening Strips: Whitening strips are stronger than whitening toothpastes, presenting more potential to harm teeth & gums if used for too long or used incorrectly.
- Tray-Based Teeth Whiteners: These products use a relatively strong concentration of peroxide-based gel in a tray to whiten teeth, but they are still far less potent than in-office treatments. As is the case with whitening strips, they offer more potential to harm teeth & gums than gentler options.
- Baking Soda Brush: Brushing your teeth with baking soda can be a safe and effective way to whiten teeth, but it’s not necessarily something I recommend because of its relative abrasiveness, which can cause excess sensitivity.
Professional Teeth Whitening Options
Various professional or professionally-supervised at-home whitening methods exist. At The Super Dentists, I provide two options for patients who are looking for a whiter, brighter smile:
- AADvance Whitening: A proprietary whitening system that whitens quickly, safely, and effectively. Works in as little as 4 minutes.
- Zoom! Whitening: Zoom whitening is clinically proven to be both safe and effective, and its full effects can be seen after application via three 15-minute segments.
Is At Home or Professional Teeth Whitening Right for Me?
Unsure whether you or your kids are better suited to at-home whitening or professional whitening? Wondering which method(s) specifically might best meet your needs?
Read more of my blog posts for additional information.
Meanwhile, I invite you to find additional safe and effective oral care and whitening products at Supermouth.com.
