As part of their daily duties, dental assistants as well as dental hygienist school graduates provide patients with information on tooth care products and how to use them. One of the most common products used at home by dental patients are tooth whitening products.
Since most patients dona��t have dental assistant training themselves, advising them on what products to use is key to them getting the results they want. But with so many products on pharmacy shelves, it can be hard to determine which ones work best. Here are a few of the top choices:
Strips
One of the most common ways to whiten teeth at home is with whitening strips. These nearly-invisible strips are coated with peroxide gela��a chemical which helps make teeth look whiter. They are generally sold over the counter at drug marts, may be applied twice daily for 30 minutes at a time over the course of 14 days. Some of the top whitening strip brands are:
- Crest 3D Whitestrips: These highly advertised strips take 20 days to work, but are easy to apply and get teeth a shade whiter than other brands. Despite this, there have been complaints from people with sensitive teeth about this product causing pain.
- Oral B 3D White Whitestrips: This product takes less time to work, however, some customers feel they are more difficult to apply than Cresta��s version.
Gels
Some people prefer to apply peroxide-based gels directly to their teeth with a toothbrush or with a mouth tray. This method generally garners results in four or five days, and lasts a few months. Some of the top whitening gels are:
- Ultradent Opalescence PF Teeth Whitening Gel: This gel works overnight and is arguably quite effectivea��although there have been complaints that it can irritate gums.
- PlusWhite 5 Minute Speed Whitening Gel: As the name suggests, this product works quickly, though some reviewers have suggested that if you only do the five minute treatment, it may take a few weeks to get the full results. Keeping the mouth tray in for 20 minutes may show significant results in just a few days.
Gum
While chewing gum isna��t normally categorized as a tooth whitening product, some brands are trying to market to this audience. Following the advent of sugar-free gums, several companies started producing products that didna��t just aim to have a neutral effect on teeth, but actually help improve their health. Some of the top tooth whitening gums on the market are:
- Orbit White: Cleans with mild abrasives titanium dioxide and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
- Trident White: Uses titanium dioxide, a mild abrasive
- Vitacare Whitening Gum: Whitens through a combination of ingredients including citrate and citric acid (for calcium and acidity), titanium dioxide and tetrasodium pyrophosphate (anti-plaque agent)
Have you tried any of these whitening solutions at home? Would you recommend them for future patients?
