Have you found yourself standing in front of the oral care aisle at your local drug store or grocery store, overwhelmed by the number of “whitening” products available for your teeth? Whitening products come in all types, from toothpastes to gels to creams, strips or rinses. Each product has “whitening” in the title and each one alleges to whiten your smile without a trip to the dentist. Do these products really work? Are they the best, safest, or most efficient way to brighten your teeth?
Meanwhile, when you visit your dentist, you see photos of patients who have undergone teeth bleaching who have had dramatic results. This can leave you wondering, what’s teeth bleaching and is it better than teeth whitening? Can “whitening” give me the same results as bleaching? What choice should I make for my own smile goals?
“Whitening” is a fairly generic term that can be applied to any product that removes stains and debris from a tooth’s natural surface. Most of the time this is achieved through mild abrasives that remove layers of discoloration built up over time. Whitening products can help your smile be brighter, but they are unable to change what is ultimately the natural white color of your tooth.
Bleaching products are products labeled specifically by the FDA as able to whiten teeth beyond their natural color. Bleaching treatments all contain some kind of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide that reacts with certain wavelengths of light. Once activated, the peroxide releases molecules of oxygen that are able to penetrate the tooth enamel itself and break down and remove even the most stubborn of tooth stains.
If you’re thinking about whitening your teeth, talk to your dentist about which products can be best utilized to meet your goals. It’s possible that over-the-counter products will work for you. If you’re trying to reach an even brighter shade of white, your dentist might recommend in-office care and teeth bleaching. Get the advice you need and move toward a whiter smile today.
