Which Is Better, Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening or the In-Office Professional Method?

A recent survey found that 90% of Americans agreed that a beautiful smile was important, both in one’s personal life and career. The most popular, affordable, and easiest first step towards your own unique and perfect smile is to have your teeth whitened.

You may have tried doing that with some of the many varieties of over-the-counter strips, gel trays, toothpastes, and rinses. If you diligently followed directions from the dentist –wearing the trays or strips for the recommended hours and not eating or drinking for a period afterwards, for example–you probably found your teeth did become somewhat more whitened.

But you probably expected more after all that effort. The fundamental problem (aside from a genetic disposition to have darker teeth and the effects of aging) is that it is very easy to deeply stain teeth. This can be caused by smoking (anything), using certain prescription drugs, drinking a lot of coffee, tea, or red wine, and eating blueberries, beets, or tomatoes, among other things. Unless you brushed right afterwards, you probably found that these products were not very effective in removing the discoloration.  On the other hand, if you applied them too often for too long, you might have found your teeth becoming too sensitive.

There is another unexpected problem that can result from these at-home kits. Because they are not customized, these products sometimes irritate the gums.

What Wilshire Smile Studio’s experts can offer is a much faster and more effective process using the Zoom Teeth Whitening System (which will give you a brighter smile for all those Zoom calls!). You can relax in the chair and watch TV or listen to music, while we apply a professional-grade hydrogen peroxide whitening gel. It is then activated with a special high-intensity light that enables it to penetrate the surface enamel and the dentin layer underneath. In just one hour, eight dark shades can be removed. If you want a gleaming Hollywood smile, you can continue for up to 15 layers. Results may vary due to individual differences.

You should plan to return for a touch-up once or twice a year, depending on your habits and needs. Alternatively, we can provide you with a prescription whitening gel that is placed into a custom mouth guard to wear 1-3 hours a day (even while sleeping) for 3-14 days.

Before making a decision how to proceed, one of our dentists will need to do an exam to consider your current dental work, such as crowns and bridges, whose shade would need to be matched, as well as any tooth sensitivity, decay, or infections that might need to first be addressed.

Book your free consultation with us online or call (323) DENTIST (323-336-8478) today.