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Why teeth whitening is better left to the professionals

8th January 2020 Print
Dentists

Over the past couple of decades, teeth whitening has become more and more popular. That Hollywood smile that people strive for no longer has limited accessibility, with many high street dentists and private surgeries offering teeth whitening as a treatment. DIY kits are also readily available from your local pharmacy, and to buy online. 

But what's better, a DIY kit, or a trip to the dentist? A visit to the professional certainly trumps anything you’re able to do at home!

Professional teeth whitening uses a higher quality peroxide

Dentists, being trained, qualified, and oozing with expertise, are able to apply a higher, more effective dosage of carbamide/hydrogen peroxide than you will able to find in any home-whitening kit. Whitening strips served over the counter, in contrast, contain a small amount of peroxide - mainly a mere 6% - while your dentist is likely to use a strip containing around 35%. The higher quality peroxide leads to better and longer-lasting results.

It’s far safer

Another advantage of staying in the dentist's chair is the consolation that you'll be given both before and after care for the procedure, as well as have access to immediate professional treatment if something is to go wrong. While teeth whitening has been around long enough to be deemed safe, tooth hypersensitivity and gum irritation are common side effects. Because of this, extremely hot and cold food and drinks are best avoided after the procedure. Your dentist can recommend alternatives, or advise you on how best to manage this. 

Should you visit a dentist in Balham, for example, you will be given a mould of your mouth to create a custom-fitted whitening tray, upon completion of the procedure. Admittedly, this procedure won't last a lifetime, but your dentist will be able to teach you how to prolong its length, and it will last far longer than any treatment carried out yourself.

Professional products used

Your dentist will use a high-quality teeth whitening method, which will lead to better results over time. The agents used by professionals are tested, and proven to be of great quality. This means there will be minimal issues following the procedure - there really are some horror stories that stem from doing this procedure yourself! Plus, you can request that your dentist uses certain additional agents to achieve the desired shade of your teeth –after all, bright white isn’t for everyone!

The cons of DIY kits

DIY methods may be convenient and more cost-friendly, but they are also only effective to a certain point, and the same results as you would get in a professional setting are simply unachievable. This can prove frustrating as you may feel that your efforts were wasted.

If you're far from an experienced professional, you can damage your teeth by self-applying teeth whitener. The majority of DIY kits may be safe and easy to use, this process just cannot be compared to the abilities of a professional who carries out the procedure regularly. It's far too easy to make a mistake while whitening your teeth, and applying the wrong products, or even the right products incorrectly can lead to undesirable results over all.

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Dentists