For years many teeth
whitening kits have been available to assist people in
whitening their teeth. This page discusses the
effectiveness of these kits, how they work, and the pros
and cons of this whitening method.Description
At home teeth whitening kits utilize a mouth tray and
a special gel or solution that contains a form of
peroxide. The gel is placed in the tray and then
the tray is placed in the mouth for a certain period of
time.
***Note: When we talk about at home kits, we're
referring to the kind where you form you're own mouth
tray using the "boil and bite" method. This is
slightly different from the
custom at home kits
whereby you make an impression of your teeth, send it to
a lab, and then you are sent back a custom mouthpiece.
The whitening process is the same, how you make your
trays are different.
How it Works
At home teeth whitening kits work through the action
of the gel that contains carbamide or hydrogen peroxide.
The tray keeps the gel close to your teeth. What
occurs is as the peroxide is broken down in your mouth,
the oxygen acts upon the tiny particles in your teeth,
turning them white. The end result is noticeably
whiter teeth over time.
Effectiveness
At home teeth whitening is one of the most effective
whitening methods currently available. It is the
same process that dentists have been using successfully
for years. Nearly everyone who correctly uses a
high-quality at home whitening kit notices a big
difference in the whiteness of their teeth, given enough
time.
Advantages/Disadvantages
The advantages of this teeth whitening product are
numerous. It is easy to implement, has lasting
results, is relatively inexpensive, and has been proven
safe. You simply cannot ask for much more from a
whitening product!
As for disadvantages, teeth sensitivity, minor gum
irritation, and a dislike of the taste of the gel are
occasionally cited. The last two of these problems
are often remedied by having a custom mouth tray made.
With custom mouth trays, more gel stays in the tray
thereby reducing gum irritation and excessive
"spilling".
General Instructions
As with all teeth whitening products, carefully
follow the instructions provided with the product.
Below is a general description of what you'll need to do
to use these products.
In contrast to custom at home kits, these kits
require you to form your own mouth trays from a plastic
mold that is provided. This is accomplished by
boiling the plastic mouth tray until it becomes pliable.
Then the user bites down on the plastic, thereby making
an impression. As the plastic cools, the tray
hardens and you're left with a semi-custom mouth tray.
At this point you simply add a bit of gel solution to
the tray and place the tray into your mouth over the
teeth. The instructions will tell you how often to
use the tray and for how long each session.
Summary
At home teeth whitening kits are one of the best ways
to whiten teeth. As mentioned earlier, they are
very effective, safe, convenient, and inexpensive.
Combine all this with the lasting results they've
provided and it's easy to see why they have become so
popular.
