Lakefront Family Dentistry Blog

IS TEETH WHITENING SAFE?

Compare Dental Teeth Whitening with Store-Bought Whitening Products

What’s in teeth whitening products?

They are based on a peroxide type of chemical that contains carbamide peroxide, which has been tested and approved by the FDA and ADA. After a professional teeth whitening treatment, it varies from person to person how long the results last. These variations are based on the person’s oral hygiene habits, type of diet and whether or not they smoke or drink liquids that cause teeth staining like red wine.

The average professional whitening treatment lasts approximately six months, and then a touch up is recommended to maintain those pearly whites. Lakefront Family Dentistry offers the best teeth whitening system, called Sinsational Smile.

Two Front Teeth Veneers and Teeth Whitening to Remove Yellow Staining
Two Front Teeth Veneers and Teeth Whitening to Remove Yellow Staining

Patients get custom-fit dental trays that fit each tooth so the professional-grade gel reaches the teeth much better than the one-size-fits all mouth guards over the counter. This enables patients to achieve faster results with more precision, and their teeth stay whiter longer. The price is very reasonable, and patients come back to buy more product and use their custom trays for years to come.

Be careful when using store-bought teeth whitening products. If you use a strip or paint-on product, just remember that the gel strength is extremely weak and coverage of the teeth makes it hard to reach the entire tooth area that shows when a person smiles.

The tooth whitening strips also fall off when talking or even when a person’s mouth is closed. The saliva in the mouth begins to move the strips around, which means coverage area and strength of the gel is lessened even more. With the custom trays, a person has 100 percent complete control over how long the gel sits on their teeth, and the duration is much shorter than the lower-grade version.

Is it Safe to Swallow the Gel?

Yes, it is safe if you swallow some residual gel left on your teeth. However, it’s recommended to brush and floss your teeth after every teeth whitening treatment session. The point is to remove the excess with oral care and not swallow all of it. Use common sense and follow Dr. Hauser’s instructions when taking home the professional teeth whitening custom kit.

If too much is swallowed and a burning sensation is felt in the throat, the peroxide is causing the discomfort. The same feeling can occur with getting too much peroxide on your gums. Treat it like you would a sore throat and use some throat lozenges. If a person swallowed too much and the irritation lasts for more than 48 hours, then seeing a physician is recommended. The mouth does heal quickly.

ADA Seal of Approval

When looking for any type of dental product, make sure and look for the ADA Seal of Approval. The ADA was formed around 1930 to make sure people’s claims were accurate and every ingredient listed in the product was actually in it. They also wanted to make sure the product actually did what it promised for consumers. The ADA tests each approved product and its ingredients and makes sure it’s not harmful, so that seal of approval is important for your oral care.

Call Lakefront Family Dentistry (951) 244-9495 and Request Appointment for safe teeth whitening today, or Request Appointment Online. We look forward to helping make those pearly whites a lot whiter!