At Home Versus Dentist Office Teeth Whitening Techniques

There are now myriad options for teeth whitening, including both at home and dentist office alternatives. Visiting a cosmetic dentist will save time, while the at home system saves money.

If you've been considering the prospects of whiter teeth, you have several options to choose from. While many people are choosing to have their teeth whitened through dental procedures such laser teeth whitening, at home products such as Crest White Strips are highly popular. Of course, many people pursue the slow but eventually effective route of simply brushing every day with tooth whitening paste.

What are the differences between these options?

Toothpaste with a whitening agent is the cheapest and easiest option. It works a little, eventually, and is also effective after teeth whitening treatments to keep the teeth white for the long term. It is a very slow process, and if you plan to use just this method, you'll have to be patient and brush often. Better results can be achieved through going to your dentist for laser treatment by using a whitening system in your home.

Laser teeth bleaching, as preformed by a trained cosmetic dentist, is safe, effective and produces immediate results. The dentist can also make sure that your teeth are in good condition and catch any possible tooth or gum disease right away, something that might be missed if you choose to whiten your teeth at home. Dentists use state of the art equipment and know how to isolate the teeth to ensure the greatest concentration of laser gets to where it can do the most good.

Choosing to work with a cosmetic dentist can also be costly, but you'll need to add up the price of using the at home products over a several week treatment as opposed to a two or three time visit to the dentist. Laser whitening costs approximately $600 for two to three visits every six months, on average. Home treatments cost around $20 - $60 per kit and you'll need to set aside about a half hour every night for around two weeks to get the same results. The dentist is a time saver; the at home treatments are money savers.

And here's something you probably didn't know about home whitening treatments: if the peroxide in the tray comes in contact with your gums-and it most likely will- it will bleach your gums! A cheap treatment could cause your gums to remain albino white for several days, but it will revert back to pink. The better qualities the home system, the less likely the gums are to remain white for any length of time. It can be a shock if you don't know what to expect. Also, the bubbling effect and the taste of home teeth whitening systems can be overwhelming at first, as it takes some getting used to. You will drool, and be sure to unplug the phone because you won't be able to talk when using an at home system. White strips used at home are less effective than peroxide trays, but they have no taste and you can even sleep with them on.