At Home Whitening Products - What is right for me?

If you are like many people thinking about whitening their teeth, you have probably realized that there are plenty of whitening options available - all promising different results and requiring different methods. Here is some important information to help to decide which teeth whitening products will work best for your lifestyle and desired results:

What Kind of Stains Do You Have?

The first step to finding the right teeth whitening product for you is to determine what kind of stains you have. There are two types of stains that occur on teeth: intrinsic and extrinsic.

Intrinsic stains are found deep within the teeth and are caused by a variety of discolorants, including red wine, coffee, and tobacco. If you have never whitened your teeth, you most likely have intrinsic stains that contribute to your discoloration.

To remove intrinsic stains, you can use whitening strips, such as Crest Whitening Strips, whitening gels and tray-based kits, and whitening pens. Whitening products such as whitening gum and toothpaste will not remove intrinsic stains.

Extrinsic stains are those stains that occur on the enamel of the teeth. These stains are usually the newest stains and can usually be removed in less time than intrinsic stains with easy-to-use products.

To remove extrinsic stains, you can use the same whitening products that you use for intrinsic stains. Also, products such as whitening toothpaste and gum are designed to remove only extrinsic stains.

How Popular Whitening Products Work

Gel & Tray-Based Kits are one of the most effective methods of removing stains. Kits come with carbamide peroxide gel syringes and mouth trays that mold around your teeth. To use the kit, simply bite into the mouth tray to form a mold of your teeth. Dispense a line of carbamide peroxide gel into the mouth tray along the mold. Press the tray firmly into place in your mouth. To achieve maximum results, it is recommended that you keep the tray in for at least four hours. Many people use tray kits while they sleep.

Our Gel & Tray Kits come in 10%, 16%, and 22% Dr. Collins carbamide peroxide solutions. The higher dosage will lead to whiter teeth in a shorter amount of time, but some people find that the higher dosage leads to greater sensitivity as well. In order to achieve whiter teeth, it is recommended that you use the kit daily two weeks, or until all syringes have been completely used.

Whitening Strips are effective at whitening teeth, but may take some getting used to in order to feel comfortable using them, as they have a tendency to slip and move around during use. Whitestrips are among the most popular of all of the whitening methods and are used by more than 21 million people.

Like gel & tray-based kits, white strips use a peroxide solution that penetrates deep into the enamel to break down tough stains. White strips contain less peroxide than gel solutions, offering only 14% and 6.5% options. Results can last up to 18 months.

The white strip is applied differently, depending on the model. For example, the Crest Whitestrips Supreme should be applied for 30 minutes twice a day for three straight weeks. The Crest Whitestrips Premium, however, can be applied in one-week applications three different times to achieve whiter teeth.

We offer three types of white strips: Crest Whitestrips Supreme, Crest Whitestrips Premium Plus, and Crest Whitestrips Premium.

Whitening Pens are an ideal whitening solution for people on the go. The pens come loaded with high strength peroxide gel (up to 35%) that is applied twice a day for one week. The gel takes about a minute to apply to the front of all of the teeth and dries in about 30 seconds. After 30 minutes, simply brush teeth to remove gel. Because the gel has direct contact with your skin, you may experience skin sensitivity while using the pens.

The Hellerdent® White&Go™ Tooth Whitening Pen and Dentech Labs Whitening Pen that we offer eliminate the need to keep track of trays and strips and makes it easy to continue normal activities, including talking, while whitening your teeth. Plus, unlike other whitening technologies, you can use the whitening pens while at work!

Want to learn more about how whitening really works? Click here to read our informational article.