Teeth whiteners. Not all of these products are created equal. Many people find drugstore teeth whiteners to be cost-effective, but are they proven to be as clinically effective as teeth whitening procedures done in your dentist's office?
With all the different teeth whitening products available at the local market, it's difficult to know which teeth whitener will stand up to the test of time. Generic brands offer whitening strips that they claim to be as effective as the other leading brand, making your teeth whiter and smile brighter in two weeks or less. Commercial brands compare themselves to dental whitening, promising dynamic results in a less than two-week timeframe.
First up, generic teeth whitening brands. Many of these have very thick strips that don't conform to most gum lines comfortably. The whitening treatments are layered on in a thick paste across each strip, and they can cause the strip to slip over your teeth or off of them altogether. Despite these minor annoyances, the proof is in the pudding. While generic brands do lighten up your smile, the overall results are less than an improvement of two shades when used as directed.
Commercial whiteners, like Crest, for example, come in several flavors. You have many choices of strips, nighttime strips, dissolving strips or trays. The strips are much lighter than the generic copies, and they adhere to teeth much more solidly. The self-dissolving strips are convenient if you don't want to sit at home for hours, or if you'd like to apply before bedtime. The drawback with the commercial teeth whitening strips, however, is that they don't always conform to the teeth perfectly, so you might experience spottiness in whitening treatment. The end result when used as directed will be a smile that is about three shades whiter than when you started.
Commercial trays can be more effective than strips, although they leave much to be desired when evaluated for comfort. The trays must be worn between 15 and 30 minutes per day, every day for a few weeks to achieve the desired result. With the whitening trays, you don't have to worry about tooth adherence or spotty whitening, as the gel is applied equally to all teeth due to the tray holding it in place, and the gel can get in between teeth. However, the trays feel bulky, and they can become uncomfortable with extended wear. Yet, the overall whitening benefits are about four shades lighter.
Dental whitening is by far superior in time and effect. Dental whitening treatments like bleaching, laser or zoom whitening will enhance your smile about seven times more in just a few treatments with just a few hours of your time. The reality is that the initial cost is more expensive when compared to drugstore whiteners. However, dental teeth whitening is proven to last longer and can be much more effective than drugstore methods alone. For the whitest smile and healthiest teeth, see your dentist.
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