Are Home Tooth Bleaching Kits Safe?
The first thing to say is that teeth whitening procedures are not equally effective for everybody. It pays to seek professional advice before you begin any whitening treatment. Your dentist will be able to tell which of the many options would be best for you. Some of them might not work on your teeth.
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? Are there simple instructions and if you follow them, are there any possible ill effects? What are the pros and cons?
For safe home use, especially in over the counter products, the teeth gel providied is not as concentrated as you would get professionally. The what are the results, how fast and how long lasting? But there is also a kind of conspiracy theory, that questions this.
Do unscrupulous companies use a more concentrated bleaching agent than they claim, so that their gel will work? It has been suggested that abrasive materials are added that could damage the tooth enamel. I think that both of these theories can be disregarded. As long as buy properly licensed products you should have no problems. The risks of such practices, from massive fines and lawsuits, to withdrawal of the product license, would make it unthinkable.
Reputable companies do major trials before putting their products onto the market. 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 damage their bottom line and their good name, to make claims that proved to be false.
Most of these treatments entail placing a tray containing the gel over your teeth, for periods of thirty minutes to an hour. Maybe this is not uncomfortable, but it is a bind and you probably won't do it for much longer than the recommended time to any great extent. some of these gels are for overnight use and the makers claim that their gel remains active longer than their competitors products.
If you wear the device for longer than recommended, the gel will probably have become inactive. I think it can safely be said that these products are regarded as safe. The other question is, are they as effective as a couple of visits to the dentist.
Here again, it is very unwise for companies to make claims unsubstantiated claims. 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?Two visits to your dentist and you are done. You go home with your new, gleaming smile. And with the proper aftercare, it could last for up to 15 years, but it might only be 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 be just as lasting. So, are they a cost effective 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.
