There are in-home teeth whitening kits that cost as little as $25. Teeth whitening costs when you are being your own dentist will be between $25 and $100. Both Crest and Listerine have a brand of whitening strips that are applied at home. They are simply strips treated with bleaching material that affix to your teeth. They are worn for a half hour to an hour on a daily basis.
These systems do get results, although they are neither as bright nor as long lasting as professional teeth whitening. While most dental whitening gels contain about 15% hydrogen peroxide, the strips sold in over-the-counter kits use carbamide peroxide, a chemical that changes into hydrogen peroxide in your mouth. However it only has about a third of the bleaching power of hydrogen peroxide.
The strip treatment can also be done in conjunction with a trip for the dentist, who can treat you for deep stains within the tooth that home kit treatments can’t reach. You’ll begin to see results after a few days with teeth whitening strips, but the complete treatment will last one to two weeks.
There are also home kits that use a mouth tray in which you put bleaching gel and then place the tray in your mouth so that the gel comes in contact with your teeth. These systems also require repetitive use and may not make effective contact with all of your teeth, whitening just the front ones instead of the entire smile. Trays that are not a proper fit may also put your gums in contact with the bleaching agent, which can lead to irritation of the tissue.
Cheap teeth whitening systems work to some degree for most people, but they are not comparable to the treatment that you get in a dental office. If you don’t have decades of discoloration however, they may be sufficient for your needs and a prudent choice.
Many organic health websites recommend the use of baking soda as a natural teeth whitener. It is not a bleaching agent; it is a sufficiently abrasive material that using it on your teeth will scrub some of the staining off. Using it in excess will also scrub off the enamel, so use it sparingly and not as a substitute for toothpaste.