Is a Home Whitening Kit Right for You?

Home whitening kits are highly popular, especially with teenagers and young adults. But these over-the-counter products raise two questions: are they safe? And, are they as effective as dental office whitening procedures?

When it comes to safety, home whitening kits are relatively benign with no known link to major health issues. That doesn’t mean, however, they can’t cause dental problems when individuals use them beyond product directions. Abusing whiteners can damage tooth enamel and expose the more sensitive dentin layer beneath.

Teenagers should especially take precautions against overuse. Around the beginning of puberty most if not all of the primary (“baby”) teeth have been lost and the permanent teeth have come in. Young permanent teeth enamel, though, is still maturing and isn’t as resilient as older enamel. They can be quite vulnerable to the substances within whitening kits.

As to effectiveness, most whitening kits should achieve their advertised levels of brightness. They do differ in some respects, though from office applications. The percentage of active bleaching agent — usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide — to other ingredients is about 10%, less than half the clinical formulations. This means they require more application sessions to achieve a level of brightness that the one or two sessions of a clinical application can produce.

The amount of brightness can also be controlled more precisely in an office setting. Dentists with their professional training and experience can adjust the shading to create a more natural appearance. You may also need professional assistance with whitening if you have implants or other restorations (which can’t be lightened by the bleaching agent) to ensure the enhanced teeth shade blends well with them.

Even if you would rather use a home kit for whitening your teeth, your dentist can still help by giving you advice on purchasing and using your kit. Your dentist wants the same outcome as you — a bright, beautiful and healthy smile.

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