At Home Tooth Whitening: Understanding the Advantages & Disadvantages

There are many kits available to use for whitening your teeth at home. This article will help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of home tooth whitening kits.

Home tooth whitening kits are solely for those with extrinsic tooth discolorations. These types of discolorations are on the outside of the tooth enamel and occur from such things as drinking certain beverages (like wine, tea and coffee) or smoking. If you have tooth discolorations that are from taking medication or from trauma through injury, home tooth whitening kits likely won't help much.

Some advantages and disadvantages of at home tooth whitening are the following:

Advantages

Cheap - These kits are fairly inexpensive. There are two types. Professional kits that you can get from the dentist and over the counter kits you can buy at the drugstore.They usually run between $20-$150 and include several applications.

Widely available - Teeth whitening is all the rage. it's easy, cheap and it works. You can find at home kits in mostly all drugstores and Online. You can also get professional kits through your dentist.

Easy to use - The at home trays are basically foolproof if you follow the directions. They generally come with a whitening formula and trays that are either customizable or a one size fits all type.

Great results - You can generally get great results with home kits.

Fast results without a dentist - This is great for a lot of folks who don't have dental insurance and can't afford professional teeth whitening in the dentists office. This is a money saver and a time saver.

Disadvantages

One Size Trays - The one size trays can be annoying, hard to use and uncomfortable for some folks. Unfortunately you won't know if you are one of these people until you try one of the kits with one size trays. Personally I much prefer the customizable trays. These kind you drop in boiling water and then allow them to mold to your teeth. They are worth the extra money in my personal experience and opinion.

Gum and Tooth Pain - Some people experience minor gum and tooth pain when using tooth whitening kits. This is usually temporary.

Sensitivity - Some with sensitive teeth and gums may experience increased sensitivity during the tooth whitening process. If you experience this you should proceed with caution.

For the most part the advantages outweigh the disadvantages when it comes to home tooth whitening kits. This obviously won't hold true for every case but they are generally easy to use with good results. It's always advisable to consult a dentist before using any tooth whitening kit. Be sure to read all the directions carefully.