Teeth Whitening: What are your options?

To make the best decision, it's important to understand all your options when it comes to whitening your teeth. Teeth whiteners can be broken down into four general categories: over-the-counter, professional, at-home and natural teeth whiteners.

To Place an Order or to Ask Questions:
1-800-964-4593
24 Hours / 7 Days a Week

As you browse through our Products section and consider different treatments, ask yourself these helpful questions:

How do teeth whitening products work?
Will the whitening process damage my teeth?
What will it cost?
What results can I expect?
How long will the results last?

Don't forget to check out our At-a-Glance Comparison, a chart that provides you with a quick look at the answers to many of these questions.

Over-the-Counter Teeth Whiteners

The most attractive advantage of using an over-the-counter teeth whitener is the convenience factor: they're quick and they're easy. But like most things in life, the easy solution is rarely the best. In order to be available at your local retail store, these whiteners must use a much lower percentage of whitening agents than those found in a professional setting. While your teeth may appear whiter after using them, you won't get the same quality results you can expect from other teeth whiteners.

Strips and Paint-On Whiteners
Whitening strips and paint-on solutions found in retail stores whiten teeth with a mild bleaching ingredient - usually hydrogen peroxide and/or glycerin. Though some people have seen results with these products, it's important to remember that a lower concentration of whitening ingredients yields less dramatic whitening results.
Toothpaste Whiteners
Whitening toothpastes whiten teeth by "polishing away" stains. Consumers should be cautious when using these products, as many are quite abrasive; tooth or gum damage can result from improper or over use. Results vary from toothpaste whiteners, and many people don't notice any difference in the color of their smiles after using them.
Mouthwash Whiteners
Whitening mouthwashes are relatively new to the market and therefore little consumer feedback is available concerning their effectiveness in the actual whitening of teeth. The way these mouthwashes work vary depending on the brand; some of them breakdown plaque before brushing while others temporarily coat your teeth with mild bleaching ingredients.

Clean your trays with a toothbrush and cool water after each use, allowing them to dry between applications.

Professional Teeth Whiteners

Professional teeth whitening treatments are almost always more effective than over-the-counter and natural whitening treatments. The downside? They can be quite costly and time consuming.

Laser Whitening
Laser whitening requires the use of a special light that activates whitening gel on the teeth. Results from laser whitening are oftentimes immediate, and the patient is usually sent home with a mouth tray that holds a strong bleaching gel for follow-up in-home treatments. The process of laser whitening takes about one hour, and if teeth are badly stained, a repeat treatment will be required for optimal whitening results. Whitening strips and paint-on solutions found in retail stores whiten teeth with a mild bleaching ingredient - usually hydrogen peroxide and/or glycerin. Though some people have seen results with these products, it's important to remember that a lower concentration of whitening ingredients yields less dramatic whitening results.
Bleaching
"Chairside bleaching" involves a two-part process: the first part takes place in a dental office and the second part takes place at home. After a few visits to a dental office for the application of a potent bleaching gel (approximately 45 minutes per visit), the patient is sent home with a mouth tray that holds a less-potent bleaching gel for in-home applications. Though the in-home gel is not as strong as what the dental professional uses, it is still much stronger than over-the-counter whiteners. Though professional bleaching is quite effective, it is also costly.
Veneers
Veneers don't actually make your teeth whiter. Rather, veneers simply cover up your real teeth with whiter, more evenly shaped synthetic teeth. Other than being costly, consumers should be advised that the process of getting veneers will permanently destroy your natural teeth; it requires not only the removal of your enamel, but also the filing down of each tooth to a pencil-looking structure. Many people report high levels of pain and/or discomfort through this process. If a patient is unhappy with the results, corrective treatments are limited and costly; the patient can never go back to his or her original smile.

At-Home Teeth Whiteners

The advantage of an at-home teeth-whitening system is that you can get rid of embarrassing teeth stains in the comfort and privacy of your own home - and on your own time. While some at-home whitening kits only contain the same strength of whitening agents as over-the-counter whiteners, others boast the same whitening strength as professional in-office treatments. At-home teeth-whitening systems are the best of both worlds: they are as convenient as over-the-counter whiteners, but also as effective as professional teeth whitening.

IvoryWhite
IvoryWhite is a 3-step system that's quick and easy to use. The process includes using a minty professional-strength whitening gel (22% carbamide peroxide) and two custom-fit mouth trays. These trays not only protect your soft oral tissues, but they ensure complete coverage of all surface areas to yield a brighter, more even whitening. With IvoryWhite, you can expect the same dramatic results as you would from a professional treatment, but for a much, much lower price.

Natural Teeth Whiteners

For many, the idea of whitening teeth naturally is attractive. The problem with this method, however, is that finding just the right mixture of ingredients and then balancing them for optimal effectiveness is tricky. And even if you get the mixture right, results are oftentimes minimal. This option is fine for people who just want to add a little sparkle to their already white smile. If you're looking for a noticeably whiter smile though, natural whiteners are probably not the right option for you.

Home Remedies
Anyone who searches online can find various sites touting the whitening abilities of bamboo, strawberry pulp, lemons, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and more - all items that can be bought at your local retail store for a low cost. Though inexpensive, mixing ingredients for home remedies be messy and time consuming. Some people report satisfactory results from home whitening remedies while others report no noticeable differences.