Many people in the Fostoria area often ask me if tooth whitening products are actually effective at whitening teeth. Truth be told, the results of your tooth whitening products are highly dependent on what kind of product you are using.

For starters, tooth whitening toothpastes are not that effective. Toothpastes are able to remove surface stains from your teeth through mild abrasives in the ingredients. However, these toothpastes will not be effective at removing stains from deep within your teeth. We do not recommend using tooth whitening toothpastes due to the damage they can cause to your tooth enamel.

Next, are over-the-counter whitening products. These products work much better than toothpastes, but will still not have the ability to whiten your teeth as much as a product from your dentist. Over-the-counter products work better than toothpastes due to the presence of a whitening agent like hydrogen peroxide. However, they will not contain as much of the whitening agent as a system from your dentist.

Receiving a tooth whitening system from your dentist is the best and healthiest way to whiten your teeth. Most dentists will offer both a take home system and an in-office system. If you opt to receive whitening at your dentist’s office, your treatment will be over in just a few hours. If you opt to receive a take home system, it will usually take two weeks to complete.

Typically, a tooth whitening system will be able to whiten your teeth by 3 to 8 shades. Please be aware that if you have bonding, veneers, crowns, or another type of restoration, a tooth whitening system will be unable to bleach them. An additional thing to be aware of is that you may experience some sensitivity in your teeth as you go through a whitening system. That is completely normal and should subside when your treatment is complete.

Want to learn more about tooth whitening?

If you are interested in learning more about tooth whitening, feel free to contact us today at our office in Fostoria, OH.