Sometimes in life it can be hard to tell fact from fiction. The ocean really does seem blue until you examine it up close, and even the moon looks like it’s shaped like a crescent depending on the day. But how can you tell what’s myth and what’s not when it comes to teeth whitening? If you’ve been wondering if over-the-counter kits are as good as a professional whitening treatment, here’s everything you need to know!
The Facts About OTC Whitening
When you purchase OTC whitening strips or toothpaste, you get what you pay for. Sure, they may be cheaper than professional whitening, but these products typically have a much lower concentration of active whitening ingredients, so while using them may seem more affordable, you’ll need to keep buying them to get noticeable results. This of course is no accident, because the manufacturer can’t make money if you only need their products once!
But over time those seemingly inexpensive kits can really add up. Before you know it, you’ve spent more than the cost of professional whitening, and after investing months of time, you still don’t have the same results!
The Benefits of Professional Whitening
While it can easily remove stains and discoloration better than brushing and flossing alone, sometimes, a side effect of tooth whitening can be temporary sensitivity. Now, you may think that the lesser the concentration of active ingredients, the better your teeth will feel, and thus using those OTC kits will help reduce this risk, but unfortunately, this is simply not true. The fact is, when you use fewer active ingredients, the whitening process will take longer, meaning that your teeth will be exposed to those sensitivity-causing ingredients for an extended period.
Conversely, when you get professional whitening, you can expect up to eight shades of discoloration to be removed in just one treatment. Instead of having weeks of exposure to strips or gels, you just need one procedure that lasts about an hour. While you still may have some temporary sensitivity, the duration should be much shorter and will not need to continuously occur over weeks or months like it would with gels or strips.
Professional Take-Home Kits
If you prefer the convenience of whitening your teeth at home, but would still like professional results and the ability to do DIY touch ups as necessary, your dentist also offers take-home whitening kits. These can be used in the comfort of your own home at your own schedule. They are also refillable by your dentist, and though they don’t work as quickly as in-office treatments, they still deliver the same professional-grade products and results.
Don’t be fooled by so-called bargain OTC products that take forever to get results and could leave your teeth vulnerable to extended sensitivity. Professional whitening is a fast, easy, and effective way to remove up to eight shades of discoloration from your natural teeth without the risks of storebought DIY products.
About Our Practice
At Kulick Dental Group, our four skilled dentists work together as a team to ensure that each of our patients goes home smiling. Whether we’re examining your teeth for your semi-annual checkup, helping fit you for a new pair of dentures, or giving you your whitest, brightest smile ever with the help of professional whitening, we want you to be happy!
To schedule an appointment, please visit our website or call us today at 954-341-0500.