These days, there’s no excuse not to have white teeth – with teeth whitening kits available everywhere from supermarkets to corner pharmacies, to online stores. The question is, however, do teeth whitening kits work, and how well do teeth whitening kits work when they do?
Let’s look at all your teeth whitening options, and the type of teeth whitening they’re most suited to, so that you can make an informed decision.
Whitening Toothpaste
Not strictly teeth whitening kits, but whitening toothpastes can have some effect on less serious problems. Most of the whitening toothpastes on the market are simply mildly abrasive, and that abrasive action takes off the top layer on your teeth, revealing the whiter enamel underneath.
There are some specialist whitening toothpastes on the market, however, usually available from your dentist, that also contain peroxide or other whiteners, and they can achieve about one shade of lightening.
Gels and Strips
These teeth whitening kits come in the form of a gel that is painted directly onto the teeth, or in strips that are pre-coated with whitening gel. Both will start to work within a few days, provided you follow manufacturers instructions, and both will offer a few months of effectiveness.
Rinses and Trays
When it comes to teeth whitening kits, rinses are one of the newer options on the market. These types of teeth whitening kits consist of a rinse with a bleaching agent in them, which are used in a similar way to regular mouthwash. These types of teeth whitening kits may be easy to use, but there is some speculation about how effective they are, since they’re only in contact with your teeth for a few minutes a day.
Tray based teeth whitening kits are usually available from dentists, and consist of a preformed plastic tray, and a whitening gel. The teeth whitening kits are fitted for several hours a day, for a long period of time, and they come with specialist instructions, based on your teeth, and your whitening needs.
Professional Whitening
Probably the most effective, in terms of teeth whitening kits, aren’t the kind you use at home, but the kind that are used in dentists offices. Dentists use teeth whitening kits similar to the ones you can buy in store, but they’re mixed specifically for your teeth. Dentists also use high intensity light to ‘activate’ the gel that they apply as a part of their teeth whitening kits, which helps to increase the lightening ability of the gel.
Home teeth whitening kits are generally quite a lot milder than those you can get from your dentist, so they might not be able to solve all your teeth whitening problems. They’re made that way, so that they’re safe to use by non-professionals. You should also know that there are no teeth whitening kits, either professionally applied or home versions, which offer permanent results – you’ll need to make an effort to avoid new stains, and you’ll probably need more treatments at some stage in the future.
Even though they’re not perfect, however, teeth whitening kits can give you a fantastic confidence boost, and they are a great idea if you’re looking for a fresher, brighter smile.
