Whitening
System Comparisons
A variety of at-home products and methods are available on the market today that
claim to deliver effective dental whitening. Some of these methods and products
work better than others and some do not actually work at all. The active
ingredient in a whitening gel is very important. The most effective systems
utilize Carbamide
Peroxide with a concentration of 10% - 22%. Non
glycerin-based
formulas containing concentrations of 22% Carbamide Peroxide yield the best result. Listed below are the
most popular methods
for at-home dental whitening.
Dental
Whitening System Comparisons
|
Type
of Whitening System
|
Effectiveness
|
Comfort
|
Ease
of Use
|
Color
Change
|
|
Professional
Tray Bleaching Systems
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
Excellent
|
11
Shades
|
|
Boil
& Bite Tray
Bleaching Systems
|
Excellent
|
Good
|
Good
|
9
Shades
|
|
Non-moldable
Tray
Bleaching Systems
|
Poor
|
Moderate
|
Good
|
3
Shades
|
|
Whitening
Strips
|
Moderate
|
Poor
|
Moderate
|
2
Shades
|
|
Whitening
Sprays
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Moderate
|
None
|
|
Brush-on
Gels
|
Poor
|
Poor
|
Moderate
|
1
Shade
|
|
Whitening
Toothpastes
|
Poor
|
Good
|
Good
|
None
|
|
There
are a variety of at-home dental whitening products on the market which contain
the approved ingredients and methodology needed to obtain effective results.
Simply use
the following easy-to-measure criterion to compare the effectiveness and value
of the many dental whitening systems on the market today.
Things to look for when choosing tooth whitening products
Carbamide Peroxide - If a dental whitening system does not contain carbamide peroxide, it
probably will not give you the results you want. Whitening gels should
contain from 10% to 22% carbamide peroxide. The most popular strength is
22%.
The higher the percentage of carbamide peroxide, the more powerful the
formula. Be aware that a high percentage (22%)
of carbamide peroxide may cause unnecessary tooth and gum irritation.
Also, the buyer should beware of any product that is delivered in unmarked
containers, tubes and/or syringes or any product that does not specify the
actual percentage of active ingredient.
Quantity of Whitening Gel- The number one complaint of at-home dental bleaching patients is that
they did not receive enough whitening gel to get the job done. You must
receive enough whitening gel to get your desired results. Most systems
package the gel inside several syringes containing only 1.2ml to 3ml each
(unlike the Oversized 5ml Syringes sold here. Be aware that most
systems create the need for you to purchase multiple kits and/or refill
gel in order to get enough whitening gel to see the results you
desire. Make sure that you receive enough whitening gel to get the
results you are after.
Note: Our best value teeth whitening gel is a
22% bulk tube of carbamide peroxide. It provides 120
applications at a very reasonable cost.
Moldable Bleaching Trays - An effective whitening system must contain custom moldable bleaching
trays for your teeth. The whitening gel is required to stay in contact
with the surface of your teeth for a length of time in order to be
effective. This is why whitening toothpastes, whitening sprays and swabs
do not work. Without the use of a moldable bleaching tray you will
see problematic and inconsistent results.
There are two types of moldable
bleaching trays, the ThermoForm (boil-n-bite) type and the ProLab
professional lab-created type. Both are effective, but ProLab
bleaching trays may be more convenient and comfortable to use. Quality
whitening kits will provide you with an additional bleaching tray (or
materials to create impressions). Sometimes a patient may destroy a
bleaching tray during the molding process and it is always nice to have an
extra one just in case.
Money-Back Guarantee
- Make sure that the dental whitening system you purchase comes with a
money-back guarantee. You should be able to see significant results within
30 days from the start of your treatment. This is an easy way to tell if
the company you purchase your whitening system from has confidence in its
own system.
Other Considerations The
only other consideration to be given to the formulation of dental bleaching
systems is the addition of other active ingredients to the whitening gel.
Other products may add flavorings or desensitizers to reduce discomfort of your
mouth, gums or teeth during the bleaching process. We elected not to add
desensitizers to our formula for very simple reasons. First, VHL whitening
gel does not contain a glycerin
base. Glycerin
causes unnecessary sensitivities on the gum and mouth tissues.
Since our
formula emphasizes consumer safety, it uses a non-glycerin
base,
thus eliminates the need for desensitizing agents in the formula to compensate
for a glycerin
base. Second, sensitivity is your body’s way of telling you to reduce the
exposure time to the bleaching agent. If you inhibit this natural warning
buzzer, you may unknowingly increase your sensitivity reaction. Also, be
aware if fluoride is contained in the whitening gel formula. It is against FDA regulations to formulate a whitening gel with fluoride since the FDA
has not approved bleaching formulas containing fluoride.
