Even with the best oral hygiene routine, tooth discoloration or staining is possible and can be a concern for most people. Fortunately, several professional and at-home treatment options are available to help people get a bright, white smile. Increasingly, patients are turning to teeth whitening kits as a simpler, more convenient way to brighten their smile. Despite their convenience and ease of use, teeth whitening kits do not always provide ideal results. This article will examine teeth whitening kits, how they work, and their effectiveness.
Teeth Whitening Kit Overview
Kits come in a variety of forms but are primarily collections of trays and whitening agents used to remove discoloration. The trays are filled with bleaching gel, placed over the teeth, and worn for a period. Amongst the various whitening kit types are:
* Kits using moldable trays: Moldable tray kits are plastic trays that are heat-molded onto the teeth. Once fitted to the teeth, they can be taken on and off to refill with bleaching gel.
* Kits using pre-filled trays: Kits that use pre-filled trays have bleaching agent already filled in and are one-size-fits-all. Their design makes them a convenient solution for people on the go.
* Kits that use trays and LED light: Because of their aesthetic appeal and possibly better result, whitening kits that use LED lights are increasing in popularity. These kits, which resemble a mouth guard, have LED lights attached that helps activate the bleaching agent inside the trays.
How Whitening Kits Work
Whitening trays work by holding the bleaching agent in constant contact with the teeth to facilitate the whitening process. Typically, hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are the primary bleaching agents used. Fast-acting gels often have higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide which makes them more effective at removing deep discoloration and surface stains.
The whitening agent, generally hydrogen peroxide, is triggered with both moldable and pre-filled trays once it contacts the teeth. Because they are designed to fit snugly around the teeth, the trays maintain contact with the teeth and are fairly effective. Kits that employ LED light are similarly designed to their counterparts but differ in that LED light is used to enhance the efficacy of the bleaching agent.
Most teeth whitening kits will be worn daily for 5 to 14 days. Because of the whitening agents employed in these kits, most take less than one hour to work. However, the number of necessary treatments will vary with each kit from five, seven, or fourteen-days.
Are Teeth Whitening Kits Effective?
There are numerous brands of teeth whitening kits available but regardless of which is selected, it is vital to follow the instructions in order to achieve optimal results. And just as is the case with other teeth whiteners, results can vary from one person to the next. In general, a kit’s effectiveness will depend on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide used and how well the user adheres to the instructions.
When choosing between the numerous options available, a good initial criteria should be to select a whitening kit that is recommended by their dentist. Reading trustworthy and credible reviews about the various whitening kits can also help narrow down the selection process.