Teeth Whitening! Lets break it down.

Written By Georgina Northcott

Firstly, there are A LOT of different methods of whitening, but not all methods are the same! Just like the old skincare regime, there is a lot of information out there and it can be quite overwhelming, so where do we start? Lets break it down.

Teeth whitening can basically be broken down into four different categories:

  • Over the counter products

  • DIY Whitening Strips

  • Professional Dental Whitening; In-house vs take home whitening trays

  • Professional Non- Dental Whitening; The Teeth Whitening Boutique

OVER THE COUNTER PRODUCTS

Lets begin with over the counter products available. Whitening toothpastes that you can buy over the counter are effective but not for long term use. Why? Generally whitening toothpastes include products like baking soda and charcoal. These ingredients are very abrasive and will give the appearance of whiter teeth by scrubbing away stains, however with long term use these ingredients will also scrub away the important enamel structure of your teeth! You can include these toothpastes in your oral care routine, but remember overuse could cause permanent damage. Always consult your dental professional before making the long term switch to any whitening toothpaste.

Prices range from $6 - $30.

WHITENING STRIPS

Now we have all seen these and they are quite the internet sensation right now! We definitely think these have their place. They are a great “on the go” product to have handy if you have an important meeting pop up, an unexpected date or something that requires a quick refresher and your short on time. Key word here; refresher! Whitening strips generally are not going to give you that true whitening result that you are after. Some of these products are really great when used in conjunction with a professional teeth whitening service.

Prices range $25 - $100

PROFESSIONAL DENTAL WHITENING- In house whitening In house whitening refers to teeth whitening carried out in the dental chair from your dental professional. The most common brand of in-house whitening is Zoom. Sound familiar? The procedure usually consists of protecting your gums with a gingival barrier and 4 x 20 minute whitening cycles. Dentists use Hydrogen Peroxide (whitening gel) which ranges from 20% - 45% HP. Whilst this can create really great results, it can also come with A LOT of sensitivity! After 18+ years in the dental industry, this is the number one complaint from patients who are having teeth whitening treatment. The higher the percentage of hydrogen peroxide, the more at risk you are for severe sensitivity. Many patients can not tolerate the full 4 x 20 minute cycles and decide to cut their treatment short after 2 or 3 cycles, therefore not being able to achieve their desired outcome. The second complaint is the price! Price range - $600 - $1000 (per treatment)

PROFESSIONAL DENTAL WHITENING- Take home whitening trays

Ok, this is your second option from your dental professional. Take home whitening trays. The name says it all! You will have a quick appointment where impressions are taken of your upper and lower teeth. These impressions will be used to create custom, plastic trays of your teeth (this normally takes a few days to create). You will head back to the dentist to have your trays fitted and also instructions given on how to administer the whitening and how to wear your trays to whiten your teeth. Depending on the brand and the percentage this is normally once a day for 10-14 days. Take home whitening trays work great if you are careful and diligent! We hear it ALL the time, patients opt for the whitening tray method and just can not be bothered whitening their teeth daily for 2 weeks after a long day at work! You are also opening yourself up to the possibility of ‘bleach burn’ as there is nothing protecting your gums and soft tissues from the hydrogen peroxide, unlike professional whitening where your gums are protected with a barrier. Trust us when we say, it hurts!

Price range $400- $650

PROFESSIONAL NON-DENTAL WHITENING- The Teeth Whitening Boutique

If you have come this far, you should know a little about what we do and who we are. We are two sisters who have both been in the dental game since we were both 18. We love treating our clients and being able to offer a high end service that is proven with excellent results and being able to educate our clients in the process. We want you to get the most out of your whitening treatment so will arm you with the knowledge in how to keep your teeth looking their best.

The Teeth Whitening Boutique treatment consists of always protecting the gums, cheeks, tongue and lips with our lip retractors and liquid gum barrier. Once your comfortable and we have your soft tissues protected we apply our whitening agent which consists of 6% hydrogen peroxide. By now you know the higher the percentage the more at risk you are for sensitivity. We have found that 6% hydrogen peroxide is the perfect number for amazing results with little to no sensitivity. Win!

We now attach the ‘blue LED light’ to the cheek retractor which activates the whitening gel to work quicker. We administer the same 4 x 20 minute cycles as a dentist would however using our 6% hydrogen peroxide this becomes a much more comfortable and pain free experience. Using 6% hydrogen peroxide we have found that not only do you see similar if not the same results to in-chair dental whitening but our clients are always comfortable and experience little to no sensitivity. We pride ourselves in giving the highest quality client care whilst delivering the results to match! Again, Win! Price start from $300 per treatment.

Georgina Northcott