With the dozens of teeth whitening kits and methods of professional teeth whitening, it’s surprising to learn that all of them use the same active ingredient as a base. In professional settings, a dentist conducting a laser teeth whitening procedure uses a gel on the teeth that contains up to 38% hydrogen peroxide. Some light-accelerated procedures use an undercoating as well, but it’s the bleach that does the work.
For at home teeth whitening kits, the active ingredient is carbamide peroxide, which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide. It is slower acting and has about a third of the bleaching power of hydrogen peroxide, but is much safer for use by untrained hands. The overriding fact here is that whether the teeth whitener is a Crest strip or a laser procedure in a dentist’s chair, the teeth whitening agent is the same.
The discussion of what makes the best teeth whitener then comes down to what product does the most efficient and thorough job of coating your teeth with hydrogen peroxide and lightening their color. It’s also true that the best teeth whitener for someone in their twenties who just needs a touch up may be a different option than the choice for an older person with decades of coffee and tobacco stains on their teeth.
Laser teeth whitening treatments are considered the premier option at the moment, and there are about ten brands that do a professional job. Zoom, Rembrandt, Opalescence, BriteSmile, Sapphire, LumaCool, NUPRO and LaserSmile are all products manufactured by established dental product firms. Several of these are second generation products that are improvements on an initial effort. There are other brands that are respected as well – there doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite in the dental profession.
Crest makes a reliable form of strip whitener, as does AquaFresh. GoSmile Advanced Formula is a brush-on bleaching gel that is scrubbed into the surface of the teeth. It’s a ten day program that has a good reputation. Aquafresh and Rembrandt also make at-home mouth tray teeth whitening products.
All of these are products that have gone through some degree of consumer or professional review. The best product is the one that gets your teeth to the shade you want and causes you the least discomfort. After a certain amount of research, the best you can do is make an educated guess.