Tooth Whitening: In-Office Or At Home?

affordable teeth whitening Boise

If you are planning to whiten your teeth, the critical first step is to decide on a whitening method. It may seem like there are a multitude of options, but it’s important to remember that they all employ a peroxide-based whitening solution. The difference lies in the strength of the bleaching solution and method of delivery. In-office whitening procedures generally use a solution with a relatively higher concentration of peroxide. In other words, it is stronger.

Blaisdell Family Dentistry is your premier general and cosmetic dentistry practice in the Boise, Idaho area. We offer a wide variety of teeth whitening options.

In today’s blog, we look at the pros and cons of DIY and in-office teeth whitening.

At-Home Teeth Whitening Advantages
Generally less expensive
Doesn’t require a trip to your Boise dentist
May cause less tooth sensitive and pain

At-Home Teeth Whitening Disadvantages
Takes longer to achieve desired level of lightening
Whitening appliances don’t protect gum tissue
Solution must be applied many times over a period of weeks

In-Office Professional Teeth Whitening Advantages
Pros
Same day results
Administered by a dental professional
Gum tissue is protected
In-Office Professional Teeth Whitening Disadvantages
More expensive

Did you know that in order to maintain the brightness achieved from an in-office teeth whitening treatment, a patient must follow up with at-home touch-ups? Therefore, a combination of in-office and DIY methods is often the most effective solution.

Here’s another warning to keep in mind: beware of those non-professional teeth bleaching kiosks. A few years ago during the height of the tooth-whitening craze, teeth whitening kiosks starting popping up in Boise area malls. Though some have closed, a few remain in business. We urge you to avoid these establishments. There is little regulatory oversight and customers have no guarantee of the safety of their services or the qualifications of their employees. As always, it is important to only trust your smile to dental professionals.

At Blaisdell Family Dentistry we advise our patients thoroughly before starting any tooth bleaching regimen. An oral examination with a dentist will help you know what tooth whitening procedure would likely deliver the results you are seeking. This is especially essential when you have tetracycline stains or multiple restorations. Please give us a call today at Blaisdell Family Dentistry, your premier general and cosmetic dentistry practice in the Boise, Idaho area, to set up a consultation and an appointment.