Bright, white and healthy teeth can fill you with self-confidence, leaving you feeling fantastic about yourself and wanting to smile broadly in every photograph that you get the chance to be in. If you’re tired of seeing teeth that are anything but white and bright every time you look at a photograph of yourself, then there’s no need to worry.
There are so many great teeth whitening products available today that can help you achieve the bright smile that you want and seriously boost your self-esteem. But with so many great whitening products to choose from, how can you know exactly which options are going to work best for you?
Here are some of the main factors to consider when choosing the right teeth whitening product or treatment.
STAINING SEVERITY
First of all, consider how stained your teeth actually are. Perhaps you only have a little bit of staining from drinking a cup of coffee every morning, in which case you may benefit from an over the counter whitening product like whitening strips or light-activated whitening gels.
On the other hand, if you have been a heavy smoker in the past and your teeth are seriously stained, it’s worth investing in professional whitening treatment from your dentist, which will bleach your teeth with hydrogen peroxide to restore them to their former bright, white glory. Your dentist might also want you to undergo a deep cleaning treatment with the hygienist to remove as many surface stains as possible before you undergo whitening treatment.
CONVENIENCE
Teeth whitening treatments at the dentist can be time-consuming and perhaps you simply don’t have the option of taking time off work to go and get your teeth whitened. In this case, your best bet is at-home tooth whitening strip options like Crest Whitestrips, provided by Oral-B.
Crest Whitening Strips are a safe and effective treatment that is easy to use at home to improve the colour of your teeth. You may need to use them a few times to get the desired result, so keep this in mind if you have an event coming up that you would like to have whiter teeth for.
YOUR ORAL HEALTH
Bear in mind that some home whitening products are not going to be effective on anything that isn’t your natural teeth. If you have visible fillings, crowns, caps or veneers, you might end up with some parts of your mouth that are whiter than others as a result and certainly not achieve the result that you want overall. If you have crowns on your visible teeth then it might be a better option to visit your dentist for a whitening treatment or look for an at-home product that is designed to whiten crowns as well as your natural teeth.
REPUTATION AND CREDIBILITY
Sadly, not all tooth whitening products are created equally, so it’s important to do your research and make sure that you are buying from a credible, trusted manufacturer. There are countless tooth whitening brands out there today but not all of them care about your health or safety and could end up doing more harm than good to your teeth. If a product seems way too cheap or is offering results that sound too good to be true for the price, then it’s probably not worth buying. According to specialists from Dr Tosun Dental Clinic, it’s always worth investing more into a trusted brand like Crest as, after all, this is the health and appearance of your teeth that you are investing in – and you only get one set.
TIME
Think about how much time you have to whiten your teeth. Maybe you are happy with a gradual whitening process and do not mind how long it takes as long as you achieve the desired result, or perhaps you have a significant event like your wedding on the horizon and need to ensure that you achieve a brighter smile for a certain day. If you have a certain timeframe in mind, consider how badly your teeth are stained and determine which types of products are likely to work for you. Whitening toothpaste on severe stains, for example, is unlikely to produce the results that you want in time – on the other hand, going to your dentist to have your teeth bleached white is sure to provide you with the results that you want for the exact day you need them.
COST
Another important factor to consider when choosing a teeth whitening product is how much you’re prepared to spend. Professional teeth whitening treatments from the dentist can set you back hundreds of pounds, so might not always be the best option for anybody who wants to whiten their teeth on a budget. On the other hand, you can get good tooth whitening systems and products like strips from reputable brands for around £50-£100 or even less, depending on the type of product that you go for and the results that you want. Whitening toothpaste, for example, can be picked up in your local supermarket for less than £5, though its efficacy is sometimes questioned.
MAINTENANCE
Once you’ve decided on the right type of whitening treatment for you, it’s also important to think about how you are going to maintain your new pearly whites. Allowing your teeth to get stained all over again means that you’re going to have to go through the whitening treatment over and over. Thankfully there are several things that you can do to minimise re-staining, although you should be prepared for some further discolouration in the future.
Most people who get their teeth whitened will do it more than once. Using a good whitening toothpaste from a reputable brand on a regular basis is an ideal way to maintain your results. Take particular care to use it to brush your teeth after consuming anything that could cause stains like coffee or tea.
With so many great teeth whitening products on the market, there are several factors to keep in mind before choosing the right one for you.
Should you be looking for more than just whitening, check out these tips on how to choose the right tooth aligner for you.