Info on teeth whitening agents

Why a Tooth Whitening System?

There is a plethora of tooth whitening systems accessible currently. Why do teeth darken? This is because individuals consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, get exposed to antibiotics, and just plain get older. Teeth whitening is an effective course to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of those undergoing the system do verify some improvement. Tooth whitening systems offer a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from economical whitening strips on the low end to costly but generally effective skilled dental whitening services.

Three Main Approaches to Tooth Whitening

Notwithstanding the perplexing array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are practically only three (3) approaches to whitening one’s teeth:

• Dental in-office bleaching
• Self-applied night-time bleaching using a tailored tray or a polyethylene strip
• Individual directed whitening using OTC bleaching products

The key to the best outcomes in tooth whitening is the whitening agent delivery technique. In all the tooth whitening methods, the tooth bleaching gel is kept in place by a system of delivery. This is absolutely critical to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth. There's not anything intrinsically superb or unfavorable about any of these three basic approaches - each procedure should yield good outcomes. You clearly can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a good delivery system and presume it to work.

Whitening Strip Method

The next simplest tooth whitening approach is the whitening strip method. You place tooth bleaching tape on your front teeth. This tape is flexible, and contains the gel which bleaches the teeth. This is the most comfortable, least costly, and easiest to utilize tooth whitening method. This explains the popularity of this system. But then, frequently the possible results are not as excellent as those results seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems. Whitening strips might accomplish a nice job of whitening the exterior tooth surfaces, but achieve a poor job of bleaching the teeth divisions and cracks. A dark division between whitened teeth could look like a bad cavity. If you do not use a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the possibility of experiencing irregular or spotty results.

OTC tooth whitening products could in principle come up with the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, yet with a decreased concentration of the peroxide (5% - 10%), and over a longer period of time. This is partially true, but omits the fact that dentists utilize a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something unavailable with OTC products.

The ADA Seal of Acceptance

The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not become adverse to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What a person must know about the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has yet received this coveted designation. There are differing degrees of worth to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA does not become involved. Nonetheless, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set guidelines for tooth whitening products. Only certain tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners which have obtained the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution.

Tooth Whitening Toothpaste

The most uncomplicated tooth whitening system is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you merely desire some simple maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. But, if the situation is more deep rooted, then other tooth whitening systems might be looked into.

Take Home Tray Whitening

With a take home tooth whitening tray method, which the patient can perform at home, the dentist makes an impression for a model of the patient’s teeth. Then, a perfect fitting bleach tray is fitted from this impression. Finally, a bleaching gel is prescribed by the dentist. At home, the bleaching gel is placed in the bleaching tray by the patient and the tray is subsequently worn for one to two hours at home at a convenient time by the tooth whitening patient. Due to the fact that the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this permits the bleaching gel to stay in contact with the teeth surface. In essence, this is the most vital aspect of the bleaching process and is the rationale why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is perhaps the most cost effective method of tooth whitening presently out there.

An OTC kit is similar to the take home whitening tray fitted at the dentist’s office, but in this case, you are totally on your own. You must thoroughly follow all the instructions. This approach has been successful, but you must be careful. This method is not recommended by the ADA.

Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening

With a procedure such as Zoom® tooth whitening, a special bright laser light is shone on the teeth whitening gel for an hour. Laser light energy creates energy which leads to chemical reactions that lead to the tooth whitening. A large number of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months. Contrasted to OTC products, dentists typically use a higher concentration of bleaching compound with a laser tooth whitening system like Britesmile® or Zoom® tooth whitening. With a laser whitening procedure, the exactly defined light frequency combined with a proprietary bleaching chemical produces especially amplified whitening effects.

A comparison of peroxide concentrations in tooth whitening

The following table will provide the reader a thorough understanding of the differing strengths of peroxides used in the several whitening systems.

Application	Agent	Professional/OTC	Concentration
In Office "power bleaching"	hydrogen peroxide carbamide peroxide	dentist dentist	15%-38% 35%
Night-time tray bleaching	carbamide peroxide hydrogen peroxide	dentist dentist	10%-22% 6-9.5%
whitening strips	hydrogen peroxide hydrogen peroxide	OTC dentist	5.3%-10% 6.5%-14%
paint on gels	carbamide peroxide hydrogen peroxide	OTC OTC	18% 19%

A comparison of all the tooth whitening systems

In the ensuing table, we make an attempt to summarize the relative effectiveness, expense, and advantages of the several tooth whitening systems.

Method	Effectiveness	Length of results	Treatment Duration	Side Effects	Tooth Type	Cost
Whitening strips	Whitens teeth slightly, might leave "lines"	1 year	7-14 days	Minimally sensitive teeth/gums	Slightly yellow teeth	$15
Brush on whitening gels	Somewhat better than regular toothpaste	Several weeks	7-14 days	Bad breath	Slightly yellow teeth	$3-$5
OTC gels	Improves with higher peroxide levels	1 year	1-3 weeks	Sensitive teeth/gums	Moderately yellow to dark teeth	$10
Bleaching done in dentist's office	Great for yellow teeth	3 yrs	1-2 mos.	Sensitive teeth/gums	Extremely dark teeth, which require professional evaluation	$300-$1000
Dentist supervised gel application	Great for yellow teeth	3 years	3-6 wks	Sensitive teeth/gums	Dark teeth, which needs a dentist-supervised evaluation	$300-$500
Crowns	Very effective for one tooth	10-15 years	1 month	feeling of tightness	Single tooth is decayed or broken	$600-$3000
Veneers	Very effective for just one tooth	10-15 years	3-4 weeks	feeling of tightness	Single tooth needs straightening	$500-$1200
Bonding	Very effective for just one tooth	5-10 years	1-2 weeks	Rare allergies	Single tooth needs minor reshaping	$300-$700

Conclusion

Whatever tooth whitening system you prefer, always seek the advice of your dentist and follow in detail all instructions. Assess your situation. If you are looking for a bit of whitening of your teeth, then think about an OTC tooth whitening system. If you really wish a wonderful bright white smile, then your only choice is a cosmetic dentist.

If you have a further interest in tooth whitening methods, you may also want to look into dental teeth whitening or in addition teeth whitening sensitivity.