What Over-the-Counter Whitening Product is Best?
We’ve covered Teeth Whitening Myths, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Chewing Gum, but now another great question arises – What is the best over-the-counter whitener and do they really work?
Bombarded by ads, commercials, and the gazillion different brands to choose from, this can be mind boggling. Then to make you go really crazy, throw in the different choices of strips, paint-on gels, or rinses. Wow!
Read on for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth to calm your teeth whitening confusion.
Strips, Paint-On Gels, and Rinses
Teeth whitening strips are thin, flexible pieces of plastic that have been coated on one side with a thin film of hydrogen peroxide. These are typically intended to be worn for 30 minutes a day, twice a day. With paint-on gels, the whitener is applied directly onto the surface of the teeth using a brush. Once the whitener has been painted on it solidifies, therefore creating an adherent film. Among the newest whitening products available are whitening rinses. These products not only freshen breath, but also include ingredients which whiten teeth. Manufacturers say it may take 12 weeks to see results.
Do They Really Work?
Yes! On patients whose teeth are susceptible to the whitening agent, these products can work great. Teeth must be porous to accept the “bleach”, and teeth lose porosity as one ages. Which means younger people benefit the most, although older folks can get results as well (just depends on porosity). If you see no results, a trip to the dentist may be in order. Usually if the over-the-counter products show no improvements, the take-home trays and in-office techniques at the dentist may also produce the same frustrating results, since porosity is likely the issue. The only system that has proven to show predictable outcomes in these situations is the Deep Bleaching technique. If you have been told that your teeth can’t be whitened or you are not a candidate for teeth bleaching, this may be your answer!
How Do the Ingredients Differ from Those Used in the Dental Office?
At Greystone Smile Design, we use carbamide peroxide for our take-home bleaching tray method, with percentages of 10%, 15%, 20%, or 35%. Our 1 hour in-office technique consists of a 38% hydrogen peroxide and the Deep Bleaching process uses a 9% hydrogen peroxide at the first appointment, a 16% carbamide peroxide for two weeks, and a 9% or 27% hydrogen peroxide at the second appointment. Crest Whitestrips use either 6% or 10% hydrogen peroxide concentrations, which is equivalent to approximately 18% or 30% carbamide peroxide respectively. Colgate’s Simply White ® was the first paint-on product to be brought to the over-the-counter marketplace. Its formulation contains carbamide peroxide (at a concentration of 18%, which is equivalent to 6.3% hydrogen peroxide) as its bleaching agent. Two other paint-on gels worth noting: Colgate Simply White Night ® contains hydrogen peroxide (6.7%) while Crest Night Effects ® utilizes sodium percarbonate peroxide (at a concentration of 19%, which is equivalent to 5.3% hydrogen peroxide). Listerine whitening rinses contain hydrogen peroxide, however I could not find any percentages.
As you can see, the bleaching concentrations of over-the-counter products and take-home dental office products are very similar, but the real issue isn’t how much peroxide a product contains. It is how long you use a product and how well the delivery system – a tray, tape or painted film – holds the whitening agent against your teeth so it can do its job.
What is the Difference between Carbamide Peroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is less stable, thus creating a rapid release of oxygen. As far as strength, carbamide peroxide is about a third as strong as hydrogen peroxide. In other words, a 5% hydrogen peroxide is roughly equivalent to 15% carbamide peroxide. If you’re getting an in-office bleaching, where time is limited, hydrogen peroxide is used to get the best result in a short period of time. If you’re doing a take-home bleaching used during sleep, you want a slow release of oxygen for longer duration, thus carbamide peroxide is used. Most strips use hydrogen peroxide for 30 minutes, while most paint-on gels use carbamide peroxide during sleep. Hydrogen peroxide may cause more sensitivity due to the rapid onset. Both work equally well under their designated conditions.
Advantages of Over-the-Counter?
These are much less expensive ranging from $10 – $50, readily available, and you do not have to wear trays during sleep.
Disadvantages of Over-the-Counter?
The primary drawback of the over-the-counter tooth whitening systems is that customers who use them may not be good candidates for tooth whitening, and there is no professional making sure everything works correctly. Many of the products do not list the concentration of the whitening agents or contain alternatives of varying strengths, so the consumer can not modulate the dosage to improve results or reduce sensitivity should it develop. In some cases, systems that use trays or strips may not adequately cover all the teeth, and less than desired results or irritation to the gums could occur.
The biggest issue is in the delivery system. The bleaching agent must remain in contact with the tooth for an adequate period of time for positive results to be possible. Salivating and swallowing can suck out the bleaching agent and reduce its effectiveness. Paint-on gels can be washed off and whitening rinses are not in contact with the teeth long enough to produce drastic results.
What about Whitening Pens?
You may have heard or seen the many claims of the whitening pens: “Immediate results!” These may actually work for some people, but the rapid results are mainly confined to surface stains. The active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, usually around 10-12%. I guess you could compare this to the stain remover pens used on stained fabrics or clothes. Once again it is the delivery system that limits these from having great success.
Greystone Smile Design offers 3 tiers of teeth whitening: take-home trays, 1 hour in-office, and the “grandaddy of them all” – Deep Bleaching. If you are considering whitening your teeth, you may want to choose one of the over-the-counter methods mentioned above. If the results do not meet your expectations, we’re always here to help!
Related Articles:
What Every Mom Should Know about Pregnancy and Oral Health
Tell Me More About Deep Bleaching!
The Health Risks of Gum Disease
7 Tips for Handling Dental Emergencies
Related Links:
Birmingham, Alabama Teeth Whitening
Tags: Dr. Tom Dudney, Dr. Trent Buchanan, Greystone Smile Design
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Great article and a lot of great information, I guess I’ll have to learn this in college next year. =]