There is a strong notion in the community that whiter teeth are more attractive. While this is true for most people, the methods for whitening teeth have been time-consuming and costly, requiring frequent trips to the dentist.
Fortunately, there are now several ways you can whiten teeth at home. Some favour effectiveness, while others offer improved convenience and ease of use. Below, we sum up the top 3 methods currently available to whiten teeth at home and discuss their advantages and shortcomings.
1. Tray Bleaching
Tray bleaching has been around for years, with emphasis placed on results rather than convenience. This once required regular trips to the dentist, but can now be done from the comfort of your own home.
The process involves making a mold of your teeth, which is filled with a bleach and worn for a few hours each day. After 8 weeks or so, or when the desired results are obtained, the frequency can be reduced to once every few weeks to maintain the result.
Pros: Very effective, as the mold provides a snug fit and teeth are evenly and thoroughly bleached
Cons: Inconvenient, time-consuming, bad taste, still costly
2. Whitening Strips
A new player in the whiten teeth at home games, whitening strips were designed with convenience and economy at the forefront. They can even be purchased over the counter at some pharmacies.
The strips come pre-coated with a whitening agent. They are placed over your teeth for about an hour every day, then discarded. As with rtay bleaching, once the desired results are obtained (which usually takes significantly longer), the frequency can be reduced.
Pros: Convenient, cheapest (~$30/14 day kit)
Cons: Not as effective, as strips only cover flat surfaces of the teeth, results take longer to achieve
3. Whitening Pens
A new series of products that offer the best compromise in the battle to whiten teeth at home are whitening pens. They represent a solution that is very effective while still convenient and relatively inexpensive.
Whitening pens involve applying a whitening agent to your teeth by "painting" them using a brush-like applicator. After a few minutes, the teeth are rinsed. This process should be done after brushing and flossing for best results.
Pros: Effective, specific areas can be targeted, convenient, relatively cheap
Cons: Not as cheap as strips
Another bonus is that a leading whitening pen is currently being offered as a free trial. See below for more details.
Whitening teeth at home has become not only possible, but surprisingly effective and inexpensive compared to a few short years ago. No longer are we required to spend hours at the dentist and thousands of hard earned dollars to achieve our desired look.
These 3 options are the best solutions currently available to whiten teeth at home. As technology continues to evolve, there is little doubt that there will be even more effective, convenient and inexpensive methods to come.
The days of visiting the dentist for whiter teeth are well and truly gone!