Going down an aisle of teeth whitening products can really make you think. Mainly, you wonder if they’re worth it. For the most part, over-the-counter (OTC) tooth whitening has its caveats. This ranges from limited effectiveness to unequal pearly whites. Despite this, there’s still a plethora of lists out there advocating for the best teeth whitening products and what teeth whitening strips work best. But why the obsession with at-home whitening methods? And what can we learn from them?
While it’s easy to discount OTC teeth whitening products as poor imitations of professional whitening, there’s still a lot they have to offer. Some dentists might supply their patients with whitening trays to keep the benefits of their professional whitening for longer. And other customers might be looking for a quick way to whiten their teeth for an event. In the end, there’s something we can take away from this booming demand for teeth whitening products and services.
So what can we learn from these best teeth whitening products?
The Best Teeth Whitening Products Bring More for Your Money
One of the biggest considerations regarding the best teeth whitening products is how effective these products and services are in relationship to their prices. While professional whitening should be the standard when whitening your teeth, not many people have the luxury of time and money to actually get it.
Fortunately, more and more dental practices are starting to look into products and services that can help mitigate their expenses. Even better, they do this while providing the pearly whites they aim to achieve. Reviews of some of the best teeth whitening products and services often revolve around quick results after a few uses. Not only do customers get the whitening results they need when they need it, but they also get it at a fraction of the cost of typical professional whitening.
What can we learn from this, then? While it’s understood that professional whitening services are the safest and best way to whiten your teeth, they’re also costly. Sometimes, to a fault. When offering whitening services, then, it might help for dental professionals to look into price points their customers are privy to.
More Customers are Looking for Natural Ingredients
Take a look at all the best teeth whitening products and services, and you might find a pattern. Aside from being much more affordable than professional whitening, at-home whitening systems are also composed of organic ingredients, such as coconut oil and activated charcoal.
A good portion of those who opt for more organic ingredients is usually wary of conventional whitening products and services, like whitening toothpaste and whitening strips. While we’re not privy to natural whitening, it’s still an excellent opportunity to showcase what makes professional whitening a safer and more effective option.
Ease of Use is Also a Deciding Factor
You might notice that other reviews put a premium on how convenient other whitening products and services are. Aside from convenience, these products also accommodate different needs, like sensitive teeth. Likewise, this is probably an approach most whitening manufacturers and dentists need to consider. Sometimes the products used in professional whitening can be harsh to a patient’s teeth and gums. So, finding avenues to make this process more comfortable can help dentists reach out to new potential patients.
Safely Whiten Teeth without Damaging Enamel
Before we get into the safe ways to whiten teeth without damaging the enamel, there’s one question we need to ask. What makes a teeth whitening method unsafe, anyway? The answers to this vary, of course—and they largely depend on the whitening process you’re considering:
- Other whitening methods can damage your tooth enamel. This is something most teeth whitening methods are guilty of. Whether you’re using lemon juice or activated charcoal powder, either process whitens the teeth by scrubbing off your tooth enamel surface. And while this might work for surface stains—coffee and tea are the biggest offenders—they can’t whiten your teeth entirely. Some might take this as a reason to use those methods further, which adds to the damage.
- They turn your gums sensitive. Other teeth whitening products take a number from professional whitening treatments. They make use of the same peroxide gels, albeit at lower concentrations. Nonetheless, they’re mostly bought over the counter, leaving the application to the customers. Sometimes this can lead to improper usage, often leaving your gums sensitive.
Getting Your Teeth Professionally Whitened is Still the Safest Way to Whiten Teeth
So, what is one of the safest ways to whiten teeth without damaging enamel? Getting them professionally whitened, of course. And there are loads of reasons for this. For one, when you get your teeth professionally whitened, you’re in the care of professionals who make sure that your teeth are whitened evenly.
And at the dental office, you’re also sure to have all the necessary safety precautions needed. This includes getting your teeth checked before the procedure to see whether your enamel can handle it. You’re also less likely to get a severe case of sensitive gums at the dental office because of the protective equipment available.
Moreover, if you get your teeth whitened professionally, you get the most long-term results. So if you’re looking for safe ways to whiten teeth without damaging the enamel, sometimes the answer is an appointment away.
While it seems novel, remineralizing teeth whitening powders aren’t an innovation. For instance, powdered toothpaste can easily contain all the ingredients needed to both remineralize and whiten your teeth. The use of activated charcoal powder and sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) has long been a popular natural teeth whitening method. So how is remineralizing tooth powder any different?
In a way, remineralizing tooth whitening powder is a mixture of the two. While it doesn’t have the cleaning capacity of regular toothpaste, it claims to have the same ability to reverse tooth decay as most dental materials do. And unlike activated charcoal powder and sodium bicarbonate, it’s not composed of one ingredient. Usually, this type of whitening product contains other dental materials to do the job.
But what is remineralizing tooth whitening powder? And is it useful? Let’s find out.
Remineralizing Whitening Tooth Powder Makes Use of Mostly Natural Ingredients.
For the most part, most remineralizing tooth powders make use of natural ingredients. It’s one of the things it has in common with natural toothpaste. Unlike natural toothpaste recipes, however, a remineralizing tooth powder avoids bleaching agents like the plague. Manufacturers of this product usually note that these agents in whitening products can weaken the tooth enamel, so they disregard it altogether. But they do make use of “natural whiteners” like activated charcoal powder and sodium bicarbonate.
How do these powders whiten, then? Manufacturers use a type of powdered clay to get the job done. Varieties include kaolinite or bentonite, which are said to have gentle cleaning and whitening properties. Moreover, they’re supposed to give your teeth the minerals they need naturally.
It’s also important to note that most remineralizing tooth powders are also fluoride-free. Proponents of these powders claim that fluoride is toxic once ingested. These powders then aim to combat tooth decay and dull teeth by strengthening them using natural ingredients.
But how effective is it, exactly?
Is it Better Than Your Typical Toothpaste?
While natural ingredients may have their share of dental benefits, there’s always a caveat when it comes to their usage. As we’d discussed in previous articles, the overuse of natural whitening products may do more harm than good, mainly because of their abrasive nature. The use of powdered clay as a gentle tooth cleaner and whitener still needs to be subjected to more research.
The fact that most remineralizing whitening tooth powders don’t contain fluoride can be concerning. While there have been studies and concerns regarding fluoride’s toxicity, ingesting fluoride up to a certain amount shouldn’t cause any problems. Fluoride is also crucial in the remineralization of teeth, as it further strengthens the tooth enamel by bonding to the rest of the minerals. To say that fluoride isn’t necessary for remineralization is counterintuitive.
That said, should you forego your toothpaste for tooth powders? Probably not. And if you are concerned with enamel demineralization, call your dentist. They’d be happy to help.
