Are Tooth Bleaching Kits Safe?

The first thing to say is that teeth whitening procedures in general are not appropriate for everybody. It is always worth consulting your dentist before embarking on any course of treatment. Your dentist will be able to advise you on which of the many options you are able to choose from. Some of them may not be beneficial in your particular situation.

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? How easy is it to follow the instructions and if you do, are any side effects possible? 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. So one question that people ask is, with less of the active ingredients, can they produce worthwhile results? But there is also a sort of conspiracy theory, that refutess this.

Do unscrupulous manufacturers add more of the bleaching agent than they admit to, so that their product will work? It is even suggested that abrasive materials are added that can potentially damage the surface of the teeth. I think that neither of these theories can be believed. If you stick to licensed products you should be OK. The risks of such practices, from massive fines and lawsuits, to withdrawal of the product license, would make it unthinkable.

Reputable companies carry out extensive clinical trials before their products are put on the market. A little research on their websites will lead you to the results of these trials, and if you want to be ultra cautious, you can follow the links back to the original source documents. It would similarly impact their bottom line and their good name, to make unsubstantiated claims.

These treatments usually involve putting a tray over your teeth containing the gel, for periods of up 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. There are some products intended for overnight use and some companies boast of how long their gel remains active, compared to inferior rivals.

You will more likely be wearing the tray when the tray when the gel has become ineffective, than that you will suffer any side effects from over use. I think that we can safely assume that these products can be regarded as safe. The other question is, will you get the same results that you would get from a couple of dental visits.

Here again, it is very unlikely that companies would make claims that they cannot substantiate. After all, if the product provided no benefit, there are millions of users who would be shouting it from the rooftops. So how good are the results, how quick and how long do they last?After two visits with your dentist, your amazing new smile is in place. And with the proper maintenance, you could have your dazzling smile for up to 15 years, but it could be only 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 can last as long. So, are they a cost effective alternative?

As I said at the start, it is worth consulting your dentist, but home whitening is definitely worth a shot. And remember, there are over the counter products, and your dentist can provide a custom solution.