The first thing to say is that teeth whitening procedures are not equally effective for everybody. It is always worth getting professional advice before starting any course of treatment. A dentist will be able to guide you through the many options you are able to choose from. Some of them may not be beneficial in your particular situation.
The dilemma that people face is the perceived added safety of having a procedure carried out professionally by a dentist, against the possible major cost saving of a home treatment. 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 products for home use, especially an over the counter product, the teeth gel is of lower concentration than you would get in a professional treatment. The question is how good are the results, how fast and how long do they last? But there is also a sort of conspiracy theory, that refutess this.
Do some unscrupulous manufacturers use more of the bleaching agent than they admit to, to make their gel effective? It has been suggested that abrasive materials are added that could damage the tooth enamel. I think that both of these theories can be discounted. If you stick to licensed products you should be OK. The downside of such practices, from major fines and lawsuits, to withdrawal of the product license, would far outweigh the gains.
Good companies do extensive clinical tests before they will put their products onto the market. A little research on their websites will lead you to the results of these trials, and if you want to be ultra cautious, you can follow the links back to the original source documents. It would also damage their bottom line and their good name, to make claims that proved to be false.
Most of these treatments involve placing a tray over your teeth containing the gel, for periods of thirty minutes to an hour. 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. There are some products intended for overnight use and some companies boast of how long their gel remains active, compared to inferior rivals.
You will more likely be wearing the tray when the tray when the gel has become ineffective, than that you will suffer any side effects from over use. I think we can safely say that these products are regarded as safe. Another question is, could you get the same benefits that you would from a couple of visits to the dentist.
Here again, it is very difficult for companies to make claims that they cannot substantiate. After all, if the product provided no benefit, there are millions of users who would be shouting it from the rooftops. The question is how good are the results, how fast and how long lasting?After two apointments with your dentist, you can go home with a dazzling smile. And with appropriate aftercare, you may get 15 years from it, but it could be as little 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 viable alternative?
As I said at the start, it is worth consulting your dentist, but home whitening is definitely worth a shot. And remember, apart from over the counter products, your dentist can provide you with a customised solution.