Teeth WhiteningAre you one of the many people who would love to look in the mirror and see whiter teeth? If you’ve dreamed of having a brighter smile, there is good news – these days, you have plenty of options to make it happen. Basically, the options available to you can be divided into two categories – professional teeth whitening and over the counter teeth whitening. There are pros and cons with each, and we’d like to use this article to help you decide which is best for your needs.

As always, if you have any questions regarding your overall oral health, please feel free to contact the team at Spokane Dental. We would love to serve you!

The Convenience Debate

At first, the topic of convenience would seem like a slam dunk in favor of doing your teeth whitening at home. After all, what could be more convenient than taking care of this task in the comfort of your own home, whenever you have time? That certainly sounds appealing, but it might be a little more complicated than you think.

If you opt for the at-home method, you are going to need to take time out of your schedule at home to go through the process, whatever that may be. The exact procedure is going to depend on the type of at-home kit you purchase, whether it is whitening strips or gels. You shouldn’t have to invest hours on end or anything like that, but you’ll still need to remember to do your treatment, and you’ll have to keep track of the various supplies required. What once seemed convenient might start to feel like a bit of a chore when you actually get into it.

Compare that to the idea of going into a dentist’s office for a professional treatment1. Sure, you have to make time during your schedule to head to the dentist’s office to have the work performed, but you can mark out that time on your schedule to have the job done and know when it is going to be. At home, you’ll always be feeling like you have to scramble to fit it in, and you’ll have to do it yourself. You don’t need to keep track of any equipment or supplies when you have a professional treatment since you aren’t the one doing the work. After you take a closer look, it starts to seem like the professional option is actually the more convenient way to go.

Impressive Results

Perhaps the strongest argument in favor of using a professional treatment is simply the results you will achieve. If the goal is significantly whiter teeth, the quickest path to that outcome is through the help of a professional. The kits sold over-the-counter might be able to slightly whiten your teeth, but the results are not likely to be nearly as dramatic, and they probably won’t last as long, either.

The issue here is the strength of the product that will be used on your teeth. Since a professional application is completed in a controlled environment by experienced hands, the product can be stronger and the results more dramatic. Such a powerful whitening product is not sold over the counter, leaving you to make the best of what the kit you purchase has to offer. Can you get slightly whiter teeth by using an at-home kit? Sure. Are you going to get exactly what you had in mind, or what you could get by working with a professional? Probably not.

Don’t Wait

Another issue with the at-home approach is the fact that you will have to wait quite a while in most cases to see whatever results you do achieve. If you are trying to brighten your smile for a specific upcoming event, like a wedding, you might not have the time it will take for your at-home plan to really provide results. Most patients are pleasantly surprised to find how quickly their teeth become whiter after just a few visits to the dentist’s office. At the end of the day, the goal is simply to come away with whiter teeth as quickly and easily as possible – and using a dentist is the method that will likely lead you to that outcome.

When At-Home Can Work

So far, it’s pretty clear that heading to your local dental office is going to be a smart choice for effective teeth whitening. Are there cases when the better choice is just to do it yourself? That’s up to each individual to decide, but one possible situation is when an individual only wishes to slightly whiten their teeth from their current condition. Perhaps you already have fairly white teeth, and only want them a little whiter. Or, maybe you don’t want bright white teeth, so you just want to brighten them a little without drawing too much attention. For a subtle change, an at-home kit might be able to serve your needs.

There is also the cost to consider. At-home teeth whitening will be less expensive, as you won’t have the assistance of a professional. Those cost savings can be appreciated, to be sure, but think about what they mean. Since you are saving money, you also miss out on the experience and expertise of someone who could have provided you with great results. From a cost-benefit perspective, most people will find that investing in professional whitening actually works out better in the long run when dramatic results are desired.

In the end, how you choose to whiten your teeth is a personal decision. Of course, as a dental office, we believe that having your teeth whitened by a professional is the way to go, although there are some cases where an over the counter approach might provide the desired results. To make an appointment2 in our office, please contact us right away. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about teeth whitening or any of our other services. Thanks for visiting!

Resources

  1. https://www.spokanedental.com/Content/Page/Professional-Teeth-Whitening
  2. https://www.spokanedental.com/Contact