We are often asked in our 1024 about the teeth whitening products that are available on the market for the general public. These products including whitening toothpastes, whitening gels, and whitening strips. Here is some information about all three of these products.
Toothpastes work to remove surface stains from your teeth to the abrasives that they contain. They can also contain a polishing agent that will help them make your teeth look whiter and brighter. However, one component that toothpaste lacks is a bleaching agent. Because of not bleaching agent being present, toothpaste will not help stains be removed from deep within your teeth.
There are over-the-counter whitening products that have hydrogen peroxide as an ingredient.Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching substance that can get further into the tooth rather than just on the surface like the toothpastes described.
The effectiveness of the whitening toothpastes will improve the color of your teeth by about one shade from your original color. Whitening strips and whitening gels contain a concentration level of peroxide that is much lower than the professional grade our dental office uses. While you should be able to improve the brightness of your teeth with these products, the level of whitening will be much lower than the teeth whitening results you can get from a dental office. Our results are typically between three to eight shades lighter and brighter based on the individual patient.
Besides getting a better whitening experience, the other advantages and benefits of having Dr. Lechner supervise your whitening is he Dr. will determine the best system of whitening based on your needs, he will also monitor the progress of your whitening, as well as make sure you do not experience any discomfort such as gum irritation.
To get more information on teeth whitening and teeth whitening products, visit the ADA.