But the dentist will still make sure the strength of the bleach is right for you. Customised trays mean that less gel is needed and gum sensitivity is reduced. These kits are likely to be more expensive because the dentist will have to make custom-fitted trays. Your dentist can also give you an at-home bleaching kit, either as a standalone treatment or to supplement in-clinic power bleaching. It's not uncommon for an initial treatment at the dental surgery to be followed up with further treatment or maintenance at home. The effects of power bleaching are immediate, but you may need more than one treatment to get the result you want. But some of this extra effect appears to result from dehydration of the tooth, and the colour will darken slightly as the tooth rehydrates. The use of light or heat to enhance the effect of the bleach appears to have a greater whitening effect than bleach alone. But the teeth are also likely to be more sensitive afterwards.
In general, the stronger the product and the longer the contact, the whiter the teeth will be. After placing a special protective material on your gums, the dentist puts the gel on your teeth, and may enhance the bleaching effect by using a light or heat source, such as a laser, LED or halogen lamps. Unlike in a salon, dentists are also allowed to do what's called 'power bleaching' with strong hydrogen peroxide bleach (up to 38% hydrogen peroxide). They can also assess and redress any underlying problems that could be causing discolouration.īut they're also likely to be a lot more expensive – anything from about $300 to more than $1000, depending on the complexity and sophistication of the technology they'll need to use, and the chairside time required. The main advantage of dentists over cosmeticians is that they're qualified to assess the overall state of your teeth, including taking a dental history, which may have a bearing on the treatment they're prepared to give you. There are many advantages to dentist whitening, but it's often more expensive.
But in most cases, the worst outcome will be temporarily sore gums and sensitive teeth. Potential problems include lack of proper infection control, careless application and ill-fitting bleaching trays, causing irritation to gums and lips.
Practitioners can't advise on whether the process is appropriate for you (some kinds of discolouration don't respond to certain treatments), nor are they qualified to check for problems such as cracked enamel, cavities, restorations and exposed root surfaces that need special care. The teeth-whitening industry is largely unregulated and the practitioners in salons don't necessarily have any dental training. To get around this restriction, some salons simply do more applications of the bleaching gel in one session to achieve a whiter shade, instead of using a strong 'power-bleaching' solution. But after an increase in injuries associated with teeth-whitening products, teeth-whitening preparations containing more than six percent hydrogen peroxide (18% carbamide peroxide) are now prohibited from sale, supply or use, except by registered dentists in a clinical setting. To whiten teeth, salons typically use a bleaching gel and then expose your teeth to an activating light. The teeth-whitening industry is largely unregulated and practitioners in salons don't necessarily have any dental training Typically costing less than $200, it's much cheaper than the similar teeth-whitening services that dentists offer. With little or no training and an outlay of a few thousand dollars for an activating light and bleaching equipment, pretty much anyone who has the money can establish a lucrative little earner in hair and beauty salons, shopping-centre kiosks, and even mobile home-based teeth-whitening parties. Teeth-whitening salons offer in-chair treatments that claim to brighten smiles up to nine shades.
Teeth-whitening products are everywhere, from whitening toothpastes, bleaching kits and adhesive strips to salons and kiosks in shopping centres – all promising lighter, brighter teeth at a fraction of the cost you'd expect to pay for a full dental-clinic treatment.īut how safe and effective are they? And what do you need to know before you jump into any of these teeth-whitening treatments? Whether it be at home, the dentist or in a salon, the desire for a bright, white smile is all the rage. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE. Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers.