Is Home Tooth Whitening Safe?
Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
The first thing to say is that teeth whitening procedures are not equally effective for everybody. It is always worth seeking professional advice before embarking on any course of treatment. Your dentist will be able to tell which of the many options would be best for you. Some of them may not be effective in your particular situation.
The question that people face is, does the perceived added safety of a professional procedure by a dentist, justify the extra cost involved. Will the home teeth whitening product be safe and will it be as effective to use? Is it easy to follow the instructions and if you do, are there any possible side effects? What are the pros and cons?
To provide a safe over the counter product, the teeth gel is of a lower concentration than you would get from a dentist. The what are the results, how fast and how long lasting? But there are still people who questions this.
Do devious manufacturers use higher concentrations of the bleaching agent than they admit to, so that their product will work? It is even suggested that abrasive materials are added that can be potentially damaging to tooth enamel. I think that neither of these theories hold water. As long as buy properly licensed products you should have no problems. The penalties for such practices, from major fines and lawsuits, to withdrawal of the product license, would be too costly to contemplate.
Quality manufactures do thorough tests before releasing their products to the public. Some research on their websites showyou the results of these trials, and if you want to be extra sur, you can find the links back to the original source documents. It would also impact their bottom line and their reputation, to make claims that they cannot back up with evidence.
Most of these methods involve wearing a tray over your teeth containing the gel, for periods of thirty to sixty minutes. While this may not be too uncomfortable, it is an inconvenience and you are not likely to exceed the recommended time to any great extent. Some of these products can be used overnight and companies boast of how long their gel stays active, compared to lesser competitors.
There is more chance that you will be wearing the tray after the gel has become inactive, than that you will suffer any problems from over use. We can safely state that these products are thought of as safe. The other question is, can you get the same benefits that you would from a couple of visits to the dentist.
It would be very unlikely that companies would make claims that they could not substantiate. After all, if the product didn't work, there are millions of users who would be shouting about it. The question is how good are the results, how fast and how long lasting?Two apointments with your dentist and your teeth are transformed. And with the right aftercare, it can last for as long as 15 years, but it could be as short as 5.
Some of the home teeth gel treatments claim a noticeable difference after only one hour and that with repeated treatments that you can reach the same levels on the dental comparison charts that you would get from professional whitening. And they could last just as long. So, are they a worthwhile alternative?
As I said at the beginning, it is always worth getting professional advice, but a home treatment is definitely worth thinking about. And remember, apart from over the counter products, your dentist can provide you with a customised solution.
Technorati Tags: No Tags
Related Tags: No Tags
Possible Related Posts
