Flaunting your beautiful smile requires having perfect and white teeth. If you do not want to go to a dental clinic during the pandemic, you can simply choose to get a teeth whitening kit.
These kits allow you to experiment with whitening in the comfort of your home.
A kit usually contains strips, mouth trays, toothpaste, gel or pen.
Results can take up to 2 weeks and can last for a few months. If you want results that last longer then professional teeth whitening will be more suitable.
However, people with minimal staining can benefit from using these comparatively affordable kits.
This article discusses with these kits entail and which ones are a good choice for your teeth.
Why Do Your Teeth Stain?
Teeth staining and discoloration occur due to extrinsic and intrinsic stains.
Extrinsic stains are on the enamel on the surface of your tooth.
Whereas intrinsic stains are inside the tooth usually on the dentin that a normal toothpaste cannot get rid of.
Extrinsic or surface stains stem from what you consume.
For instance, if you eat berries, use balsamic vinegar and soy sauce in your salads, then you are likely to get stains on your enamel because of these highly colored and acidic foods.
On the other hand drinks such as coffee and tea contain tannins that can stick to your teeth and discolor them.
Furthermore, sodas and red wine are heavily colored. Their overconsumption can leave a dark stain.
Furthermore, these foods contain the color molecule chromogen. Chromogen attaches right on your teeth staining them but the bleaching agent breaks it down clearing the stains.
Furthermore, smoking results in brownish-yellow teeth. Also, taking iron supplements can leave black dots on the surface which are harder to treat.
Intrinsic stains are not present on the surface but on the inside of your teeth. The dentin is naturally darker than the enamel.
As you age, the enamel starts wearing out exposing the enamel. Hence, giving your teeth a darker yellow appearance.
An injury to a tooth in the blood vessels inside can also cause one of them to be darker than the rest.
Moreover, pregnant mothers and children taking tetracyclines before they are 8 years old can cause discoloration and staining.
Other medications and illnesses can contribute towards intrinsic staining as well.
So do genes. Some people have a naturally thinner enamel that wears down early and leaves their teeth appearing darker in color.
Kits are more effective on extrinsic stains however, they may work on some intrinsic ones too.
Should You Use A Teeth Whitening Kit?
Before using at-home whitening kits, you should be familiar with your teeth.
Do you think they are sensitive?
Have you had veneers and crowns?
These kits are not the most ideal to use with sensitive teeth.
They can increase tooth sensitivity by stripping off the enamel from the surface of your tooth.
Furthermore, if you have receding gums or other dental health problems such as periodontal disease or cavities then using these can hurt your teeth more.
Hence, get a dental checkup before you start using them.
Also, remember that the bleaching agents will not work on crowns and veneers. Hence, if you have them then you will not see a change in the color of your teeth.
Consult your doctor beforehand if you have fillings and other dental restoration. They can advise if using these kits will be harmless and beneficial.
Also, if there is a single very dark tooth then that may indicate an injury that can exacerbate after coming in contact with the whitening agent.
Though whitening kits are a good start for removing surface-level stains before you would like to consult a dentist for teeth whitening zoom or other whitening procedures.
However, keep your expectations realistic. Frankly, even whitening dental procedures can only last up to one or two years.
Similarly, the bleaching effect of these kits can only last for 4 to 6 months.
Moreover, the whitening results will not be as dramatic or immediate.
You will have to regularly use them for at least 2 weeks to see a difference.
Though, do not overuse them as bleaching again and again can leave a gray residue on your teeth.
In fact, once you get satisfactory results, you should only repeat the procedure once yearly or bi-annually.
What Does a Teeth Whitening Kit Contain?
At-home dental whitening products consist of:
- Strips
- Gel
- Mouth Trays
- Pen
- Toothpaste
- Rinses
These contain about 10 to 20 percent of the active ingredient i.e the bleaching agents. That is either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide.
Since this concentration is lesser than that found in dental procedures, it is safer to use but the results are not as dramatic.
The kits may contain all or some of these products popularly the strips and gel.
The strips, gel and mouth trays are the most effective as they come in direct contact with your teeth.
Furthermore, both strips and mouth trays use the whitening gel that you can also apply directly to your teeth using a brush. More on that later.
First, let’s talk about other whitening systems.
Whitening Pen
A pen works to quickly correct surface-level stains.
They contain a whitening gel and it solidifies to coat your stains with that.
Hence, it produces a film that gives a whitening effect. It is ideal for last-minute touch-ups.
Toothpaste
A whitening product that is without bleach is toothpaste.
Though it contains mild abrasives as well as polishing and chemical agents that help to remove surface stains.
Since there is no bleach, the whitening toothpaste lightly whitens the teeth by removing the surface stains.
Hence, you can see up to one shade of whiter teeth by regularly using toothpaste.
Mouth Rinses
The mouthwashes or rinses can reduce plaque, clearing the stains and freshen your breath.
Use it twice a day before brushing teeth. Swish it for a minute thoroughly. However, results will not be apparent before 12 weeks.
This whitening system has limited contact with teeth. Moreover, compared to other methods, the bleaching agent only stays in the mouth for 2 minutes rather than 30.
Therefore, strips and mouth trays are the most effective.
Gels, Strips and Mouth trays
Whitening gels contain a peroxide-based bleaching agent that is responsible for whitening in both strips and trays.
You can also use it, as it is with the help of a tiny brush. Directly apply it on the surface of your teeth two times a day.
A significant difference will be visible in a few days whereas you still need to apply it for a full 14 days. The results can last up to 4 months.
Strips work similarly, they contain the bleaching gel. These are transparent strips that go onto your teeth and stick to them.
Follow the instructions to apply and leave them accordingly for 10 to 30 minutes.
You will soon notice results after using them for a few days. These results can last up to 4 months.
You can touch up occasionally but do not overdo it.
Mouth Trays also contain a bleaching gel that goes inside the trays that fir on your teeth.
Some over-the-counter mouth trays are one size fits all. However, a few brands first ask you to send an impression of your teeth and make a custom-fit mouth tray.
A correct fit is really important for the mouth trays to work properly. Otherwise, the gel inside will not be in contact with your teeth and can irritate your gums.
The amount of discoloration and whitening required determines the time for using the trays.
Hence, you can wear it for just 30 minutes or hours during the night. Though, you will have to wear it consistently for 4 weeks.
Using these is simple. Put the gel into the trays and wear them over your teeth.
Some trays have a light that activates the bleaching agent and helps it penetrate further, whitening the dentin.
If they are the proper fit, they can whiten teeth effectively.
What Teeth Whitening Kit Should I Buy?
1. Crest 3D White Whitestrips
Crest is a leading brand in the market for oral products. Their 3D White Whitestrips are a popular choice for whitening.
2. AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit
This kit by AuraGlow contains a whitening gel with carbamide peroxide and mouth trays.
Furthermore, it contains an LED light that uses an accelerator lighter to fastly remove the stains.
There are other features like a timer that indicates when the 30 minutes of application are up and different levels of light intensity for varying results.
This kit is suitable for people with sensitive teeth.
3. Snow All-in-One Teeth Whitening At Home System
Snow’s teeth whitening kit contains mouth trays that can get rid of surface stains in merely nine minutes.
Add the gel containing both carbamide peroxide as well as hydrogen peroxide onto the tray and simply wear it.
Moreover, using the kits’ shade guide you can tell the difference immediately after the treatment.
Finally,
These three are some of the best teeth whitening kit. Consult your doctor for the best option before you select any.
Moreover, carefully apply the bleaching agent by preventing it from coming into contact with your gums and harming them.
Your dentist may recommend getting professional whitening treatments or custom-made trays to use at home if you need extra whitening though these kits can give you reasonable changes.
Hence, if you are thinking of whitening your teeth, start small and try these safe-to-use kits.
