Best Teeth Whitening

Your "At Home" Options

Determining which system delivers the best teeth whitening results for your money, begins with identifying what is available to you as a consumer and then understanding the pros and cons of each.

First of all, how does teeth whitening work?

Basically, teeth whitening products work by either bleaching the *natural tooth enamel beyond its surface with peroxide based formulations OR via physical or chemical agents such as sodium bicarbonate, that work at the surface level removing stains etc. , these are typically whitening tooth pastes.
*Note-natural teeth enamel only, not dental work like bonding, veneers, composites etc.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the most commonly used "in home" active ingredient in teeth bleaching products is carbamide peroxide. This is also what dentists use. Of coarse, the concentration level of the peroxide is the key to the cost, speed and effectiveness of the whitening and varies from product to product, particularly store bought whiteners.

What are some of the side effects of using bleaching agents on teeth?

Glycerin is often found in even some of the best teeth whitening formulations and although it is not dangerous, it is said to be the culprit behind temporary tooth sensitivity. There has also been the odd report of minor gum irritation and bleeding (although likely a result of product method ie. improper fitting tray in combination with too much product).

Best Teeth Whitening TIP:  Use any bleaching product with care, ensuring that product directions are followed and use of that product is not excessive.

What teeth whitening systems are available for "at home" use?

With a recent Harris survey establishing the #1 thing people notice first about another person is their smile,  it is no wonder there are a huge number of whitening products out there in the market place.

Teeth whitening can be performed professionally at a dentists office or in the comfort of your own home. However, all products are not created equal, and depending on your choice, far from the best teeth whitening option. 

Their are basically three different types of teeth whitening products:

1. Brush On Whitening- An easy, inexpensive "in home" concept to grasp and use, but not without some pitfalls . The idea is to paint the product onto the teeth, let it dry and then work its' magic. Used over the coarse of two weeks, moderate results can be seen. However, letting something dry and stay dry in your mouth is not an easy venture. Variables like this, in addition to missing spots upon application or spots rubbing off can deliver blotchy results. This type is far from the best teeth whitening option available. One example is the Listerine Whitening Pen.

An Exception-GoSMILE Tooth Whitening on the Go, Ampules. This highly concentrated, brush on product, gets five star reviews from customers and is glycerin free (it also has a higher price tag). The system is slightly different, in that you brush on your teeth until the product foams, and then you spit it out. It also is getting into the tray and bleaching gel price range depending on how large a kit you buy).  Try *GoSmile 12-piece Smile Whitening Ampoule (*this is a link to a merchant site with more product information.) Also, available now is a light system that basically accelerates results (Go Smile Light Whitening System).

2. Strips Applied To Teeth- Again, an easy, inexpensive "in home" product, however, not without pitfalls.  When applied, it will be easy to miss grooves between teeth since the surface you are applying the strips to isn't perfectly flat. In addition the results are far from dramatic. The best teeth whitening products using this method (popular with good consumer feedback) are *Crest Whitestrips Dental Whitening System Strips ( *link will take you to store with more product information).

3. Trays With Bleaching Gels-This is the best teeth whitening system for cost versus results tradeoff when done "in home". This system originated in dental labs for dental professionals to perform. A custom fit tray for your teeth was developed, and the dentist would use a lower concentration of peroxide in the tray that you would wear for two hours at time over the course of 3- 4 visits. The price for this system was in the $ 500 dollar range. The systems available " in office" have dramatically improved and, of coarse, with that comes higher price tags (example : zoom teeth whitening).

There are "in home" versions that come from your dentist's office and range in price depending on the system chosen.  One trustworthy product with a less expensive price tag and the good wishes of your dentist is Colgate's Visible White Take-Home Kit. 

A Less Expensive Take Home Option From Your Dentist's Office...

"Colgate* Visible White* is a visible advance in professional take home whitening, providing fast, safe and effective whitening. Visibly Whiter Teeth in 3 days

Product Characteristics

• Easy 30-minute once-a-day wear time
• Formulated with potassium nitrate and fluoride
• Clinically proven whitening efficacy*
• Visibly whiter teeth in three days
• Available in 9% hydrogen peroxide (comparable to 30% carbamide peroxide)
• Sleek portable and reusable case

Product Benefits

• Reduced wear-time vs. carbamide products improves ease-of-use
• Decreases sensitivity associated with whitening
• Patient satisfaction with whitening results" (information taken from colgate professional website)
  

There has also been improvements in systems available direct to the consumer. Among the best teeth whitening systems are ones available out of office for "in home " use.   The same dental labs that make trays from the impressions that dentists send to them, will now perform that service for you. In addition they will supply the exact same bleach formulation that dentists use, to you.  You should still seek professional advice if your teeth are candidates for this method of teeth whitening (the condition of your gums, tooth enamel, and the presence of dental work are important considerations).

Best Teeth Whitening TIP:  Stay away from awkward "fits one, fits all" trays. You need to ensure all surface areas of your teeth are being saturated with the bleaching solution in order to get the best teeth whitening results.

The Best Teeth Whitening Available:

Not long ago, the best teeth whitening results were only achieved in a dental office. However, the recent arrival of dental lab direct molds to the consumer has changed this. Now, any consumer can get excellent results at a fraction of the cost of the dentist, by purchasing these professional whitening systems direct (you are not paying for the dental practice overhead in your price). Virtually the same labs custom developing teeth molds into trays and supplying dental practices with bleaching formulations, are now delivering that same service direct to the consumer. This has made teeth whitening affordable to the masses. 

Best Teeth Whitening TIP:  Proceed with caution on lab direct teeth whitening kits as concentrations of formulations can be very harsh and long term use, damaging to your tooth enamel.  In addition complaints of teeth sensitivity from the glycerin component in the formulations are a real issue for some.

Here is ONE system worth your consideration, developed by a dentist who also happens to be the leading breath battling frontier dentist, Dr Katz ( of Therabreath fame).

Dr. Katz has now introduced a teeth whitening system using tray and bleaching gel called TheraBrite.

What I like about this product?

• There is excellent product information
• It is less expensive because you make your own tray, with a user friendly mold system he supplies eliminating the travel time to and from a dental lab.
• It is glycerin free and thus removes the teeth sensitivity issue.
• He too uses 21% carbamide peroxide bleaching gel for effective results.
• The bleaching gel has a pleasant mint flavor, unlike the other bleaching gels out there.
• He offers a 30 DAY 100% satisfaction money back guarantee.
• PLUS it is made with NATURAL INGREDIENTS, Certified KOSHER, Approved for DIABETICS, NOT TESTED ON ANIMALS, MADE IN THE USA, 100% VEGAN
  

Whitening Tooth Paste...a milder alternative

An alternative to bleaching your teeth, is of coarse, using milder surface effective tooth pastes that will diminish stains, brighten and polish your teeth. Although not among the best teeth whitening products, you may not need industrial strength to serve your purposes. As mentioned above, chemical or physical agents such as baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) can be a very effective home remedy for stain removal. 

Take the whitening strength of your paste up with patented calprox (calcium peroxide) found in *Supersmile Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste (*link will take you to a merchant site for more product iinformation). This product is safe to use on veneers, bonding, dentures etc and has had excellent reviews (also developed by a dentist).

Whitening Toothpaste at Beso.com Beso.comAds by

Rembrandt Dazzling White is just one of the dentist recommended toothpastes that will whiten and remove stains. In fact, this option is a combination tooth paste and bleaching gel with a money back guarantee if you don't see results in 30 days.

*GoSMILE am & pm toothpaste kit (*link will take you to a merchant site for more product iinformation), prevent-protect-whiten produces natural whitening tooth pastes that also prevent tooth decay and prevent tooth sensitivity. They apparently provide you with an amazing sensory experience customized for the morning using essential oils like peppermint, orange and lemon and evening using lavender, chamomile and vanilla.

Fresh Umbrian Clay Toothpaste is another all natural option using a very distinctive white clay from the Italian region of Umbria. Its use is based on the ancient healing properties of the umbrian clay.

Last word on best teeth whitening options...It is always a good idea to listen to the opinion of a dental professional.  Everyone is born with there own shade of white, and even with the help of whitening agents, the maximum of one person's  white is unique to that individual (my sister's teeth have an amazing whiteness factor that I will never have because I have a different enamel...that doesn't mean I can't achieve good results though).

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