One of the big cosmetic dentistry trends we’ve seen over recent years is the increase in the number of people taking up teeth whitening services – both professional dental teeth whitening and at-home teeth whitening solutions.
Home Teeth Whitening Options
To service the growing demand for home-based teeth whitening, the last few years have seen a surge in the number of available home teeth whitening products and solutions.
There are now more ways than ever before for people to get a whiter smile at home, and an important step in understanding whether at-home teeth whitening solutions are right for you is to first understand what options there are available to you.
In the next section of this article, we will look at a number of the most common and most effective home solutions, to help you understand what’s right for you.
LED Teeth Whitening Pens
LED Teeth Whitening Pens are relatively new to the market but are already well-reviewed and selling strongly.
Using a combination of LED light technology and whitening gel applied to the teeth, these teeth whitening pens are great for small touch-ups on easy to reach teeth.
These are not usually recommended for full smile treatments, but if you have one or two spots that require some TLC, then an LED Teeth Whitening Pen is a great option for at-home teeth whitening.
The downside?
There are reports from a small number of users that these teeth whitening pens can leave a mild aching and a little bit of sensitivity in the applied area after use. If you already suffer from sensitivity in your teeth, you might want to consider a different teeth whitening option.
Gel Teeth Whitening Strips
Gel teeth whitening strips work in a similar way to the LED pens insofar as the whitening effect is provided by the application of a gel substance to the teeth.
What makes whitening strips a little different to the LED pens, however (aside from the absence of the LED technology) is their comparative ease of application.
With gel teeth whitening strips, it’s simply a case of putting the strip onto the teeth you wish to whiten, and then waiting for the required amount of time (typically around 30 minutes).
As with the LED whitening pens, there are a lot of manufacturers to choose from here but they all essentially work in the same way. Simply stick the gel strip to the teeth, wait, then remove it and carry on with your day. For best results, it’s usually recommended to repeat this process every day for a few weeks to see compounded results.
While gel whitening strips are easier to apply to a full mouth smile, having to leave them in place for half an hour at a time could potentially make them less convenient, and that should be a factor to consider when you’re making the choice over which home whitening solution is right for you.
Boil and Bite Teeth Whitening Trays
The final option in our selection of home remedy teeth whitening kits is the boil and bite teeth whitening tray.
These are the most similar in function to how most professional dentist teeth whitening services work.
These kits usually come with two rubber-like mouthguards that you can easily mold and shape at home to fit perfectly around your own teeth.
Simply use boiling water to soften the material of the tray, and then bite down on it so that the softened material takes an impression of your teeth.
Once the tray is shaped and fits you perfectly, they can be filled with whitening products or gels for an easy and all-over application to the teeth.
Whilst boil and bite teeth whitening trays are arguably one of the most thorough ways to apply whitening gels to your smile, they are also the most time consuming and perhaps the least convenient option for home-based teeth whitening.
Home Teeth Whitening Vs Professional Teeth Whitening
Whilst there are a lot of solutions available to people who want to whiten their teeth at home, for the best and most effective results, we would always recommend consulting with your regular dentist.
A number of teeth whitening options and kits easily available on the retail market remain unproven and there is little in the way of regulation and accountability in the market.
Home-based teeth whitening kits offer an easy and often very affordable alternative to professional dentist teeth whitening services. However, patients should be careful when selecting which teeth whitening option is best for them.
With something as precious as your smile, getting expert help and advice is always a good idea. So consult with your dentist today or contact us to talk more about your options.
