Teeth Whitening At Home VS Visiting The Dentist
Anyone interested in whitening their smile has two options;
- In-Home Teeth Whitening: do It Yourself (DIY) in the comfort of your house.
- Professional Whitening: visiting the dentist.
In this blog post we we're going to talk about the two types, and how you can tell which option is right for you! Let's get started.
In-Home Teeth Whitening
In-home whitening has a few key benefits that make it the preferred option. It is relatively inexpensive, convenient, and can be done at your own pace, term and time.
The disadvantage is the dentist results will be faster and more efficient, while in-home treatments are typically 1 session per day for 2 weeks.
Now lets look at the most common in home whitening methods:
Whitening toothpaste, teeth whitening trays, and teeth whitening strips.
Whitening Toothpaste
This is the most popular option worldwide and the most convenient form of home teeth whitening. This works better than the regular toothpaste as it whitens your teeth after usage. It is also the cheapest option as you can buy one for as low as $10.
The downside is that your teeth can be lighter than normal, but the difference might not be noticeable.
Teeth Whitening Trays
This is more effective than whitening toothpaste and rinses. If you apply it regularly, your teeth would be 5-8 shades whiter than before. The effectiveness of the product also depends on the brand you’re using. It is the most effective home whitening solution but it’s also the most expensive. It cost about $100 depending on the brand you choose.
Teeth Whitening Strips
These are strips that are covered with a whitening solution. You’ll apply it on your teeth twice daily for about 30 minutes to 2 hours. Teeth-whitening strips are not as expensive as whitening trays but they only whiten your teeth by two or four shades – depending on the brand your purchase.
Professional Teeth Whitening
You’ll need to visit the dentist for this method, and it is more expensive than the home whitening method. Although it’s less convenient, the results you get here cannot be obtained from any home teeth whitening method.
There are two options you can choose from: the halogen light and dental bleaching.
Dental Bleaching
This is the most common method thanks to the result it gives. Your teeth can be 8 shades lighter after the procedure. The result you get depends on the number of times you repeat the procedure. A major con of dental bleaching is the time and cost. A procedure can set you back $1000.
The Halogen Light
This process is similar to dental bleaching, but a halogen light is used to accelerate the whitening agent to get faster and better results. Rather than visiting multiple times, you’ll get your teeth whitened once. Because it is the fastest and the best option, it’s also the most expensive. A visit could cost you $3000 for an hour.
Now that you know the options available to you, the results, and benefits, you can choose the one that suits you best.