Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Offer Many Options
cbs4denver.com
May 25, 2007
When it comes to over-the-counter tooth whiteners, there's a vast array of options for consumers, says Dr. Nancy Rosen, a dentist with a practice in Manhattan.
She went over many of them on The Early Show Friday.
"No matter what your price point is and how much time you have in your busy schedule," she says, "there are different things that people like to use."
However, she stressed, you should make sure your teeth are healthy before whitening them.
Rosen focused on only over-the-counter products, but dentists also whiten teeth, and those treatments tend to be stronger and work more quickly, she observed.
The American Dental Association posted a statement on the safety of tooth whiteners. The ADA also posted its overview of whitening options.
Over-the-Counter Products
* Strip system
There are different types of strips that will bleach your teeth. Some you can use for five minutes a day every day and some for 30 minutes a day for 10 days. They are safe and very easy to use. The price ranges from $16 to $40.
How do they work? The strips are like a clear Band-Aid. You pull off the back of the paper and wind it carefully across your top teeth and a across your bottom teeth. You press them on so that you make sure all of it is sticking and there is bleach in the strip that lifts stains and bleaches your teeth. You also pull them off like a Band-Aid.
* Ampule system
Go Smile is the only company that makes this type of product. It's a little tube with a brush. You squeeze a clear liquid on the brush and scrub your teeth. This is good because you are able to get into every nook and cranny. It is also safe, fast and effective. The cost is about $100. The instructions say that you should use it twice a day for seven to 10 days.
How long all of these products last depends on how much dark staining food that you have eaten or will continue eating. If you are a six cup coffee drinker, it's not going to last as long as it will on a person who drinks only one cup a day. What's great about over-the-counter whitening products is that you can repeat it. However, you don't want to do it too often. Follow the directions. If you do it once every six months you're not spending a lot of money.
* Do-it-yourself trays
You take the trays provided and put bleach that comes in the box and put them in your mouth. I don't really like this because the trays are one-size-fits-all and this can cause not only uneven bleaching, but it can also hurt the gum tissue because you are not having something specifically made to fit your mouth. You can have a dentist make trays that custom fit your mouth.
* Paint-on whitening gels and pens
The paint-on-gel looks like a nail polish bottle. You open it up and you paint it on your teeth. They are safe, but I don't really think they are effective because the minute you paint something on, you will go over it with your lips and wash away the bleach.
One thing everyone should know is that whatever system they decide to use, it will only work on natural enamel. It will not bleach crowns, veneers or fillings. That's why you should talk to your dentist beforehand. You don't want to bleach something that you shouldn't and wind up having a stripped mouth.
* Whitening toothpaste
It will remove some teeth stain off of your teeth, but they are really not going to bleach your teeth. However, they are a good way to maintain whitening after you bleach.
Copyright © 2007 cbs4denver.com, All Rights Reserved.
May 25, 2007
When it comes to over-the-counter tooth whiteners, there's a vast array of options for consumers, says Dr. Nancy Rosen, a dentist with a practice in Manhattan.
She went over many of them on The Early Show Friday.
"No matter what your price point is and how much time you have in your busy schedule," she says, "there are different things that people like to use."
However, she stressed, you should make sure your teeth are healthy before whitening them.
Rosen focused on only over-the-counter products, but dentists also whiten teeth, and those treatments tend to be stronger and work more quickly, she observed.
The American Dental Association posted a statement on the safety of tooth whiteners. The ADA also posted its overview of whitening options.
Over-the-Counter Products
* Strip system
There are different types of strips that will bleach your teeth. Some you can use for five minutes a day every day and some for 30 minutes a day for 10 days. They are safe and very easy to use. The price ranges from $16 to $40.
How do they work? The strips are like a clear Band-Aid. You pull off the back of the paper and wind it carefully across your top teeth and a across your bottom teeth. You press them on so that you make sure all of it is sticking and there is bleach in the strip that lifts stains and bleaches your teeth. You also pull them off like a Band-Aid.
* Ampule system
Go Smile is the only company that makes this type of product. It's a little tube with a brush. You squeeze a clear liquid on the brush and scrub your teeth. This is good because you are able to get into every nook and cranny. It is also safe, fast and effective. The cost is about $100. The instructions say that you should use it twice a day for seven to 10 days.
How long all of these products last depends on how much dark staining food that you have eaten or will continue eating. If you are a six cup coffee drinker, it's not going to last as long as it will on a person who drinks only one cup a day. What's great about over-the-counter whitening products is that you can repeat it. However, you don't want to do it too often. Follow the directions. If you do it once every six months you're not spending a lot of money.
* Do-it-yourself trays
You take the trays provided and put bleach that comes in the box and put them in your mouth. I don't really like this because the trays are one-size-fits-all and this can cause not only uneven bleaching, but it can also hurt the gum tissue because you are not having something specifically made to fit your mouth. You can have a dentist make trays that custom fit your mouth.
* Paint-on whitening gels and pens
The paint-on-gel looks like a nail polish bottle. You open it up and you paint it on your teeth. They are safe, but I don't really think they are effective because the minute you paint something on, you will go over it with your lips and wash away the bleach.
One thing everyone should know is that whatever system they decide to use, it will only work on natural enamel. It will not bleach crowns, veneers or fillings. That's why you should talk to your dentist beforehand. You don't want to bleach something that you shouldn't and wind up having a stripped mouth.
* Whitening toothpaste
It will remove some teeth stain off of your teeth, but they are really not going to bleach your teeth. However, they are a good way to maintain whitening after you bleach.
Copyright © 2007 cbs4denver.com, All Rights Reserved.
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