Professional Teeth Whitening vs. At-Home Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening has become increasingly popular over the years. As dental treatments go, it’s a minimally invasive and relatively affordable option that can vastly improve the appearance of your smile.

When it comes to teeth whitening, there are options for at-home teeth whitening using whitening strips, mouth trays or brush-on applicators. Professional teeth whitening takes place at a dental practice and is carried out by qualified dentists using peroxide-based bleaching agents.

Read on to find out more about the differences between professional teeth whitening and at-home teeth whitening.

Safety

At-home teeth whitening is often the cheaper alternative to in-clinic whitening, but it comes with a greater risk of sensitivity or harm to tooth enamel. Likewise, some teeth whitening kits that come from abroad aren’t accepted by UK health regulations and may have damaging effects. It’s recommended to get your at-home treatments from a dental practice to ensure the treatment is safe and has been approved for use in the UK.

As of 2011, teeth whitening can only be carried out by dental professionals and not beauticians or aestheticians. This law was brought in to ensure the safety of teeth whitening treatments. 

The big advantage of professional teeth whitening over at-home bleaching kits is that dentists can examine patients’ oral health to determine their suitability for teeth whitening and monitor the whitening process, making sure that your gums and other tissues are protected from the bleach. 

Effectiveness

In an attempt to prevent tooth damage from at-home whitening, these products tend to have lower concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, the active ingredient in tooth whitening. This means that you may not get as noticeable results as you might like.

As dentists are highly qualified professionals who are knowledgeable of the potential risks of teeth whitening like tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, and enamel damage, they are licensed to use products containing higher levels of peroxide. So if you’re looking for dramatic results, professional whitening is more effective than at-home kits.

Longer-Lasting Results

While at-home kits can offer results that brighten your teeth, the effects will likely wear off more quickly. As a result, you’ll need to use at-home kits more regularly, weekly or fortnightly, to maintain the appearance of white teeth.

On the other hand, in-chair dental whitening tends to have more long-lasting results with minimal time and effort. With good oral hygiene practices, your brighter smile can last for 6 months to 3 years. Often only a single session is needed to see results, but for more severe staining, more sessions may be needed to obtain long-lasting results

Which Is Right for You?

If you should decide that you’re interested in teeth whitening, at Acorn Dental Health we offer a range of whitening treatments. During a consultation with one of our team of dental professionals, we’ll identify the cause of your tooth discolouration and then recommend the ideal treatment for you.

Contact us today to book a whitening consultation with one of our qualified dental professionals at our clinic in Hedge End, Southampton.