There are dozens of at home teeth whitening kits, all of which are designed to bleach your teeth to a whiter shade. They vary tremendously in technique and to some degree, in cost. The kits that attempt to duplicate the experience of professional teeth whitening in a dentist’s chair can be fairly sophisticated and fairly expensive in comparison to some of the more traditional options.
The most basic at home teeth whitening option is the strip impregnated with a bleaching agent that is placed across the front of you teeth. These strips are worn for an hour or two at a time, and then replaced with new ones for the next session. They conduct a gradual bleaching process for all of the teeth surfaces they come in contact with. The level of bleach in these strips is much lower than what is used in a dentist’s office and the results are not as dramatic.
There are also at home whitening kits that use mouth trays designed to fit over your teeth. These trays are coated with gel containing hydrogen peroxide, the bleaching agent, which makes contact with the surfaces of your teeth when the tray is put in place. The issue with this option is that a one-size-fits-all tray may not work well with your dental pattern, either exposing your gums to the irritating bleach or not making contact with the entire surface of a tooth.
There are at-home kits that provide a light meant to activate and accelerate the bleaching process. These kits contain a mouth guard that protects your lips and gums from contact with the bleaching gel, which is spread over the surfaces of your teeth. The light is then directed on the teeth for a period of twenty to thirty minutes. The process is repeated once or twice, and the results are purported to be immediate.
A more expensive but more reliable option is having custom made mouth trays created for you by your dentist, and then going through the bleaching process at home following the instructions you’ve received. You’ll have a tray that fits and gel that you’ve purchased from a dental professional. It’s a good way to reassure yourself that you’re going about your at home treatment the right way.