Teeth whiteners are pretty much unavoidable these days. Everywhere you look, you’ll see a TV commercial, store display, radio message, or print ad constantly touting the benefits of the latest and greatest teeth whiteners hitting the market. They’re big business, no doubt, but do they really work?
Teeth are one of the most visible parts of our body. They are constantly on display, and people take great care to make sure their teeth look their best. We did everything from porcelain veneers to complicated and expensive orthodontic work, just to make sure our smiles dazzled.
Of course, our teeth take a lot of abuse. We bombard them with diets full of cavity-causing sugar, douse them in coffee that stains, while expecting our pearly whites to stay both pearly and white. So it’s no surprise at all that things like teeth whiteners, which promise an immediate and relatively cheap way to improve our smiles, are big business.
In any such market, there will be a lot of potential for scams and abuse, with unscrupulous people looking to make money off of a hot trend. Fortunately for all of us who need a little dental adjustment from time to time, most whiteners on the market really work, although their effectiveness depends on the type you choose.
The cheapest teeth whiteners are whitening toothpastes, which incorporate hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals in addition to the regular cleansers found in your toothpaste. These are more effective at maintaining the color of your teeth than making them whiter, as they work primarily by removing dirt and debris.
The next step in teeth whitening is in-mouth strips, which sit almost invisibly on your teeth as you go through the day, dissolving as you go. These are more effective than toothpastes, but you really shouldn’t expect your teeth to get whiter by more than a shade or two, and you should try to cut down on things that will keep staining them, like drinking too much coffee.
The most effective type generally available at your local store will be the leave-in-tray variety. Basically, you fill a molded tray with a whitening solution and then leave it on for a set period of time to whiten your teeth. As you can imagine, this is the most effective and expensive teeth whitener you can get without going to the dentist. But they do work, and you can get several shades whiter with these treatments.
Of course, the most powerful method of teeth whitening is laser activated whitening, which you can only get at the dentist’s office. This process can turn even the most stained teeth into a dazzling smile, but it’s expensive and inconvenient. Teeth whiteners work, and it’s just a matter of finding the right one for your teeth and your budget.
