The Health Biz

The first thing to say is that not all teeth whitening procedures are appropriate for everybody. It is always worth seeking professional advice before embarking on any course of treatment. From the available options, your dentist will be able to clarify which ones are suitable for you. Some of them may not be beneficial in your particular situation.

The problem that people face is the seeming extra safety of having a procedure carried out by a dentist, against the major cost saving of home treatment. Will the home teeth whitening product be safe and will it be as effective to use? Are there simple instructions and if you follow them, are there any possible ill effects? What are the pros and cons?

To provide a safe over the counter product, the teeth gel is of a lower concentration than you would get from a dentist. The question is how good are the results, how fast and how long do they last? But there are still those who questions this.

Do devious manufacturers use higher concentrations of the bleaching agent than they admit to, so that their product will work? It is even suggested that abrasive materials are added that can be potentially damaging to tooth enamel. I think that neither of these theories hold water. As long as you stick to properly licensed products you should be safe. The penalties for such practices, would be too costly to contemplate.

Reputable companies carry out major clinical trials before releasing their products into the market. With a quick search on their websites, you can read the results of these trials, and you can even follow the links back to the original research documents. It would be similarly costly to their bottom line and their reputation, to make claims that they cannot back up with solid evidence.

Most of these methods involve wearing a tray over your teeth containing the gel, for periods of thirty to sixty minutes. While this may not be too uncomfortable, it is an inconvenience and you are not likely to exceed the recommended time to any great extent. There are some products that are intended for overnight use and the makers boast of how long their gel remains active, compared to their rivals.

It is more likely that you will still be wearing the device when it has become ineffective, than that you will suffer any ill effects on your teeth from over use. I think that we can safely assume that these products can be regarded as safe. The other question is, will you get the same results that you would get from a couple of dental visits.

Here again, it is very unwise for companies to make claims without evidence. After all, if these products didn't produce results, millions of users who would be shouting it from the rooftops. So how good are the results, how quick and how long do they last?  After two visits to your dentist, you can walk out with your new, sparkling smile. And with the necessary aftercare, it could you 15 years, but it could be not more than 5.

Some of the home teeth gel treatments claim a noticeable difference after only one hour and that with repeated treatments that you can reach the same levels on the dental comparison charts that you would get from professional whitening. And they could be just as lasting. So, are they a viable alternative?

As I said at the beginning, it is always worth getting professional advice, but a home treatment is definitely worth thinking about. And of course, as well as over the counter products, your dentist can supply you with a personalised solution.

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