What is the Difference between Over-the-Counter & Professional Teeth Whitening?

What is the Difference between Over-the-Counter & Professional Teeth Whitening?

Everyday Health: How do over-the-counter teeth-whitening products compare to professional teeth-whitening options? Is it worth the extra cost to visit the dentist? Is teeth whitening safe? Get the best teeth whitening procedure at Rouse Hill Smiles.

Over-the-counter products, such as Crest Whitestrips, work fine, but they are cumbersome to use and usually only whiten the front 6 teeth — so if your back teeth are capped, it is a good alternative. As for whitening toothpastes and rinses, they do not do very much, and any toothpaste option will do essentially the same thing.

Whitening done at the dentist’s office is much more controlled, is easier to use, and produces better results. In our office, we generally use the tray system since it gives the most flexibility to our patients and is easy to touch up every few months to maintain that sparkle. Beware of whitening done with a light. The light is more of a marketing ploy and has never been proven to add much to the whitening process.

Many over-the-counter whitening products are not as effective because their chemistry is either very weak and cannot bleach the teeth for sufficient amounts of time or they are very strong and dangerous to use and ingest.

Professional teeth whiteners are safe, effective, and done under the supervision of a dental professional. In most cases, it is worth the extra cost to visit the dentist to get long-lasting, safe results.