There are different ways available to whiten teeth. The three main options are to have your dentist do it professionally, known as in-office, buy a kit from your dentist and do it yourself at home, or use over-the-counter products.
At the dentist
Doing it professionally is the fastest way. This involves whitening your teeth with a whitening agent or gel that contains a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide. This gel can cause gum irritation, so a rubber-like solution is applied to the gums to protect them. After applying the whitening gel, a laser light is used to activate the chemical reaction and start the process. The gel is allowed to act in intervals of 15 to 20 minutes, the process usually lasts about 1 hour. Sometimes it can take multiple visits to get maximum results. The cost is from $400 to $600 dollars. Dental insurance typically doesn’t cover this procedure, but a discount dental plan can help you receive a discounted price.
Take home kits
Take-home kits, purchased from your dentists, contain trays into which the gel is applied and then placed in your mouth for about 1 hour. The gel contains a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide so it can stay in the mouth longer, sometimes overnight. The cost can vary from $100 to $400 dollars. Some of the advantages of this method are less expensive and you can do it on your own schedule.
On the counter
The cheapest way is to use over-the-counter products. These products do not contain the same concentration of hydrogen peroxide as the take-home kits you can buy from your dentist. Such products include: whitening strips, whitening toothpaste, and now the latest whitening product is a peroxide-containing mouthwash. The cost of some of these products can range from $20 to $100. There are dentists who say those methods are not effective, but there is some recent research showing that white strips can be just as effective as the in-office method.
Side effects
Sensitivity to cold and heat is one of the side effects of teeth whitening, this is due to the higher concentration of peroxide found in the gel used by the dentist. The other is gum irritation, usually caused by using the over-the-counter or at-home method, where you have to use trays that don’t provide gum protection.
Results
Keep in mind that there is no whitening method for some dental work, such as porcelain veneers, crowns, or bonding. If you have a whitening procedure, you may be two shades of white or have some dental work replaced. Discuss this with your dentist before proceeding with any method you choose.