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Professional Teeth Whitening vs. Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening

Written by Dr. DeAngelis

If you’ve been hoping to learn more about your options for teeth whitening in Carlsbad, then you’ve come to the right place! DeAngelis Family Dentistry specializes in teeth whitening near you, so we’ve got the scoop about this popular procedure.

As a top dental clinic in Carlsbad, we see a ton of requests for this service from people hoping to improve their appearance. When your smile is brighter and your teeth are in good health, you immediately feel happier and more confident.

That is why teeth whitening services and products have become more desirable over the years. But with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to try and figure out which one is the right one for you.

Drugstores have shelves that are literally filled up with whitening solutions from pastes, rinses, and strips that can be purchased over the counter. It almost makes you wonder if professional whitening treatments are really worth it.

Well, there’s no need to wonder any longer! Keep reading to learn about the key differences between professional teeth whitening and over-the-counter teeth whitening solutions.

What You Should Know:  Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening kits are easy to find at your local drugstore. In fact, you may find your head spinning as you try and read through all of the advertisements promising easy treatment and faster whitening. Unfortunately, a lot of times, these kits fail to live up to expectations, making you one unhappy, dissatisfied customer.

At-home kits whiten your teeth using bleaching agents that help to lift and remove stains from the teeth. The technology is similar to what any dentist near you would use. However, there is one major difference.

A professional dentist in Carlsbad uses a higher concentration of chemicals that work over a shorter period of time for whitening. At-home kits, on the other hand, contain a much lower concentration of chemicals and take longer to see results. When time is important to you, this is something that you should keep in mind.

It can take weeks or even months for your at-home treatments to get you to your teeth whitening goals. And even then, the results only last between one and two weeks! So if you have a big event coming up and are hoping to come dressed in your brightest smile, you better consider this timeline if you use an over-the-counter teeth whitening product.

It’s not uncommon for folks to end up spending more money on these products over time than what it would cost to visit a dental office in Carlsbad for a quick treatment. For this reason, when you want a truly whiter smile that will last, it’s best to get in touch with a professional.

What You Should Know:  Professional Teeth Whitening Solutions

Teeth whitening is a more complex process than most people realize. If you want to take advantage of this service and see long-lasting results, then you will need the help of a professional.

To the untrained eye, the methods and ingredients used in over-the-counter and professional teeth whitening processes may seem the same. But in actuality, the two are quite different. To put it plainly, there are some things that an at-home kit just can’t do.

If you want your teeth whitening dreams to become a reality, you need the following:

The Right Mix of Ingredients

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most effective ingredients used in teeth whitening. But over-the-counter teeth whitening kits use an ingredient known as carbamide peroxide, which doesn’t give most users the results they’re looking for. Carbamide peroxide contains very little hydrogen peroxide, which is crucial for effective stain removal.

Professional treatments, on the other hand, use a much higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide. With the help of a special light used during treatment, the patient is guaranteed to see faster, longer lasting results.

The Right Equipment

At-home teeth whitening kits usually come with a tray and peroxide gel for the user to wear in their mouth. The tray is meant to help the gel stay on your teeth long enough for the substance to do its job.

However, since these trays aren’t specifically designed for your mouth, they don’t stay in place well enough for the treatment to be fully effective. Furthermore, as your saliva mixes with the solution, it compromises how well the chemicals work, which means you likely won’t get the results you were expecting.

Professional teeth whitening procedures provide patients with a custom-designed tray to protect their teeth and to keep the whitening gel away from saliva. This gives the chemicals a chance to work their magic without interference.

The Right Treatment Plan

Store-bought teeth whitening kits are designed to be a one-size-fits-all solution. But when you want to see real results, this simply isn’t good enough.

We’re all unique, which means you need a customized solution to address your specific dental care needs. With a teeth whitening treatment done professionally, you can see fast results that are safe and effective. Your treatment will also last much longer than an over-the-counter kit treatment will. And best of all, the treatment process is supervised by a professional, which means that you can ask questions and make sure that you know how to preserve your newly white smile for the long-term.

Expert Teeth Whitening Dentist – 92011

At DeAngelis Family Dentistry, we know what an asset a good smile can be for a person. That is why we are the experts when it comes to dental care and advanced teeth whitening solutions in the Carlsbad area.

If you have a goal to smile brighter, contact our professionals about your options for professional teeth whitening. We’ll help you to get your journey for a better, healthier, more confident smile started!

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