Look Younger with Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening
It’s natural for our teeth to turn yellow as we age. As a result, we tend to associate a whiter smile with youth and vitality. Luckily for us, over-the-counter teeth whitening products have improved considerably over the last couple years. It used to take months of at home treatments to brighten a smile, but today new products are able to whiten your teeth by multiple shades in a matter of days.
How At Home Teeth Whitening Works
The most popular over-the-counter teeth whitening products use either hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. Carbamide peroxide is similar to hydrogen peroxide in that they both release oxygen in contact with water. These oxidizing agents send little crystals that penetrate the tiny pores of your enamel where they battle stain deposits. Over a short time, the stains are removed and the underlying layer is bleached. Products that use these ingredients are not only fairly easy to use, but research has shown that they are very effective.
Types of Over-the-Counter Products
A variety of options are available but no matter which option you choose the obvious benefit of at home teeth whitening products is the cost. For under $50, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars and a day at the dentist.
- Trays. Soft trays filled with whitening gels are easy to apply and mold securely around your teeth. This allows the gel to whiten each tooth completely, including in-between and behind. The gels are no longer foul tasting and are actually kind of refreshing.
- Strips. Like the trays, whitening strips are soft and easy to apply. While they are slightly less effective than the trays at getting in-between you teeth, they are less obtrusive for those who gag easily and can even be worn on the go.
- Pens. Whitening pens make an excellent duo when combined with trays or strips. They can be used to reach those in-between spots or give added whitening power to stubborn stains to provide a nice uniform smile. They also work great as a follow-up whitener to preserve your new smile.
