These days, many celebrities are advertising teeth whiteners. And if you spend some time on Instagram as well as other social media, you will find influencers doing the same. Whether they are gel kits or LED lights, you may have seen them all.
While those Facebook posts or Instagram ads are super convincing, you may want to find out the best teeth whitening kits for 2021, so you can know the brands that work and practice teeth whitening at home.
Here are 7 Things You Must Know before Buying a Costly Teeth Whitening Kit
1. The Ingredients
When you purchase an item online, you may just assume that everything is alright. But with a teeth whitener, this is not the case. Many of those teeth whitening at home kits contain sodium bicarbonate and sodium chlorite.
Sodium bicarbonate is the same as the baking soda sold at grocery stores. While this is safe for oral use, combining it with sodium chlorite may not be safe. At the moment, there is not much research to endorse the safety of this combo.
Dentists usually use a combination of carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. These ingredients have been tested and certified to be safe for use. They can break down deep-seated stains. So, when you visit your dentist to schedule a tooth whitening session, ensure that the products and their ingredients are safe.
Furthermore, you need to consider the LED lights, not just the ingredients. Those lights may not have passed the necessary tests or have enough data to prove that they are safe for long-term use.
2. It Does not Contain Significant Amount of Ingredients for Teeth Whitening
In most locations, only dentists have legal access to obtain, as well as use, bleaching agents with high concentrations like carbamide peroxide. As a result, teeth whitening at home kits contain only about 18 percent of that ingredient. This could help but the result won’t be the same as when you visit your dentist.
Related: 14 Incredible Dental Hygiene Tips to Keep Your Teeth Healthy
3. There is No Protective Gear for the Light
When undergoing a professional whitening procedure, the dentist will use a light source. This light looks like the LED lights in kits, but they are not the same. In both scenarios, the light assists the whitening procedure, but a dentist will place a barrier to protect your gum from damage.
The kits that celebrities advertise do not come with this protective barrier. Currently, there is not much research to show what will happen when you constantly expose your gums to those lights. So, if you want to try it out, ensure you do not overdo it.
4. Do Not Expect the Trays to Be a Perfect Fit
When you visit a dentist for whitening, they will make a customized tray for you. This tray is molded to fit your dentition. As a result, the gel will be evenly placed on your pearls.
On the other hand, DIY kits contain trays that you will place in hot water, then mold onto the teeth. These could pass as customized trays, but they are not as excellent as what a dentist makes. The trays may have gaps and some parts won’t get enough gel.
5. Do Not Always Rely on Reviews
You may have read some reviews online before purchasing a kit. Most times, people make purchases because there are lots of good reviews about a teeth whitening at home product. But those reviews may just be bait for people to pay for the products.
Some brands pay people to say nice things about their products. They may even give out incentives like extra kits or gels to people who leave positive reviews. Therefore, reviews may not always reveal the things to know before purchasing.
Related: How to Prevent Getting Tea and Coffee Stains on Your Teeth
6. There Is No Assurance That the Kit Is Suitable for You
Before undergoing professional whitening, the dentist will check to be sure that your teeth and gums are healthy. This is because cracked teeth, cavities, chipped teeth, and bleeding gums can disrupt the process and cause you severe pain.
It is important to note that teeth whiteners cannot remove every kind of stain. It is done on a case-by-case basis. So, the dentist will check the cause of the stain, then tell you the possible treatment options.
This also goes further to explain that purchasing a teeth whitening at home kit does not imply that it will work. For instance, a kit will not be effective for tetracycline stains. Veneers and crowns will not become white either.
Thus, if you do not like the color, you can speak with a dentist. You can also use the kit alongside a professional treatment.
7. The Solution It Provides Is Not Durable
Despite claiming to provide brighter and whiter teeth, the kit will not sustain your smile for long. It will keep your pearls white for about 1 to 3 months. This is not a durable option compared to other whitening alternatives.
Some teeth whitening at home brands recommend using the gel and light once every week. But as earlier mentioned, we do not know if there are side effects from a long time of use. Hence, you may be causing harm to yourself in the process of keeping up with good looks.
Related: 8 Simple Ways to Get Healthy Teeth and Good Smile
What Can You Do to Make Your Teeth White?
Apart from using kits, there are alternatives that you could try. They are:
- Maintaining good oral hygiene.
- Using an electric brush to get rid of surface stains.
- Using a combination of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to remove plaques and bacteria.
- Practicing oil pulling with coconut oil.
- Making a mouthwash with apple cider vinegar.
- Rubbing banana, orange, or lemon peels on the teeth.
- Using activated charcoal.
- Eating veggies and fruits with high water content.
These are just a few methods. But you may want to click here to find more information on alternative teeth whitening methods.
Conclusion
Teeth whitening kits are good, but they do not produce the same results they advertise on social media. This makes people misuse or overindulge in the products, resulting in damage to the gums, dental nerves, and enamel. So, when using one, ensure you combine it with a professional solution.
