It’s not unusual for people concerned with their personal image to be equally concerned about their welfare when it comes to personal treatments of any kind. For example, there’s the question of the difference between dentist tooth whitening procedures and home-based tooth whitening. If you can whiten your teeth from the comfort of your own home, why bother with a dentist? Conversely, one may ask, “Why risk pursuing tooth whitening at home when you can get safe and professional tooth whitening results with a dentist?”

Dentist Tooth Whitening–Definitions

It’s perfectly normal to be wary of a home-based product that claims to be just as effective as its professional industry counterpart. In some cases, tooth whitening products that claim to be “just as good” or even better than dentist tooth whitening are not exactly true. But by and large, most over-the-counter or online tooth whitening systems are effective and can produce satisfactory results.

It’s really all a matter of procedure and need. Going to the dentist will provide you with professional care and a faster whitening process, certainly two things that matter when it comes to health care and modern day schedules.

Home tooth whitening, however, allows you to have total control over the application process as well as flexibility when it comes to scheduling the applications.

Let’s consider how dentist tooth whitening procedures and home-based whitening systems work, as well as examine the pros and cons of each system.

Dentist Tooth Whitening–How It Works

Apart from the obvious requirement of scheduling an appointment with your dentist and undergoing treatments at his clinic, there are other procedures that cannot be replicated elsewhere. A typical procedure is as follows: before employing a whitening solution on your teeth, a dentist will often clean your dentures first as well as fill cavities. Once he is satisfied as to the condition of your teeth, he will then proceed to apply a tooth whitening gel on your gums to protect them from the treatment. Once the gel is in place, the dentist will apply a high concentration of tooth whitening solution on your teeth, as well as a special light to speed up the bleaching process. A dentist tooth whitening procedure will all take place in one visit.

Dentist Tooth Whitening–Pros

The biggest advantage of pursuing dentist tooth whitening is that it’s quick and guaranteed to be professionally done. As previously mentioned, these two factors are perhaps the most important considerations for many people. What could be better than to see the immediate effect of a professional tooth whitening treatment? Plus, nothing beats the confidence of a trained and experienced dentist handling your teeth.

Dentist Tooth Whitening–Cons

The main disadvantage of going to the dentist is the cost. Most dentist tooth whitening procedures will set you back at least $300 per session and can run into the thousands at some places. Many people simply cannot afford to spend that kind of money on tooth whitening, no matter how badly they may need it.

Home-Based Tooth Whitening–How It Works

There are various home-based tooth whitening systems in circulation. Products vary from teeth strips to whitening toothpastes to whitening gels and special tooth whitening trays that are fitted onto one’s teeth. When it comes to the latter, there are plenty of “one size fits all” tooth whitening trays in the market but the best ones are really those that are customized. Here’s why: customized trays offer a better fit to your own set of teeth, which means the gel for tooth whitening is applied evenly over all your teeth. Custom trays also prevent leakage of the gel, which may harm your gums and of course, cause wastage of the gel.

Home-Based Tooth Whitening–Pros

A home-based tooth bleaching system is less expensive than dentist tooth whitening. You can save hundreds of dollars by opting to whiten your teeth yourself. You are also free to employ the tooth whitening kit according to your own schedule. This is good if you are a very busy person and have little time to spare for an afternoon at your dentist.

Home-Based Tooth Whitening–Cons

You must be competent and able to carefully follow instructions. You must also be dedicated to the task. Home teeth whitening is an extended process that can last beyond two weeks compared to dentist tooth whitening which can amount to a single visit. If you are not committed or unable to sustain a proper schedule, the process will not be as effective or may not work at all.

The Bottom Line

What becomes most obvious when reviewing the pros and cons of both modes of treatment is that it is largely a matter of cost and time flexibility. Here’s a good tooth whitening tip: if you can afford dentist tooth whitening (and can’t be bothered to try home-based products), a trip to the dentist may be your best option.

If dentist tooth whitening is not within your budget (and if you’re comfortable with home-based dental products), then the do-it-yourself route may be more suited to you.

What’s important to remember is that there really is no superior method of teeth whitening. Home-based teeth whitening products contain less amounts of carbamide peroxide than the solutions used by dentists. This doesn’t mean they are less effective–it just takes longer to see the results. This is an important difference between dentist tooth whitening treatments and doing it yourself at home. It’s not a matter of which one is best because both routes are effective. It’s basically a matter of flexibility.

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However, he warned people to be wary about using cheap products, since patients will either end up damaging their mouth or having to repeat the process several times to achieve a good result.

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But do these treatments really work or do they cause more pain than pleasure?

One of the most common side effects of teeth whitening is tooth sensitivity, which can be painful.

Dr. George Childress, D.M.D. of LaGrange, GA, said tooth sensitivity is minor and temporary.

“Sensitivity from whitening does not appear to cause permanent damage and there are 20 plus year studies which agree,” Childress said.

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