Teeth whitening has become all the rage over the last few years. You can choose to whiten your teeth with over-the-counter products, or visit your dentist to have it professionally done.
Whichever method you choose, it’s helpful to know how effective each one is and what will be required to get the job done:
Tray-based over-the-counter products:
One of the earliest forms of over-the-counter (or OTC) methods for teeth whitening came with tray-based products. These kits consist of a generic, one-size-fits-all tray and whitening gel. Most require you to spend two hours a day for a period of four weeks to achieve optimum results.
Strips:
One of the more popular OTC methods for brightening your smile is whitening strips. To get the best results with these products, you’ll usually have to apply them twice a day for two weeks. The results often last for several months.
Gels:
Another more recent advent in the world of teeth-whitening products is a gel that you apply directly on the teeth. Similar to strips, gels require twice-a-day application for two weeks, and results generally last about 4 months.
Rinses:
One of the newest innovations is the whitening rinse. All that’s required is simply rinsing your mouth twice a day for about 60 seconds each time. Although this method is certainly easier than others, it’s also not as effective.
Professional whitening:
Your dentist can provide the most effective means of whitening your teeth either in the dental office or with custom-made trays at home. Not only is this the most effective method for whitening, but it will also allow your dentist to help resolve any issues that may result from whitening procedures, such as increased sensitivity.
Read more about types of teeth whitening
Photo by: Smile (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rupertuk/4159721353/) / Rupert Taylor-Price (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rupertuk/) / CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
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