Teeth Whitening Strips vs. Teeth Whitening Procedure at Dentists
There are many different new and innovative ways of whitening your teeth to improve your smile, from laser teeth whitening to at-home kits, teeth whitening strips and natural remedies, so it’s difficult to know which is best for your teeth, which lasts the longest and which is the cheapest.
So let’s start with the basics.
What Are Teeth Whitening Strips?
Most teeth whitening treatments involve strong chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide and teeth whitening strips are no different, although the concentration of the chemical is lower than in other treatments. This means that they are less effective on very yellow teeth, but can lighten slightly yellow teeth by a few shades for a more natural look.
You can buy them from pharmacies or beauty and cosmetic shops and once you’re home, place the strips over your teeth and leave them on for 30 minutes every day for 10 to 20 days for the best results, although you can stop using them before this if you’ve achieved the colour you want.
Crest Whitestrips are a popular brand of teeth whitening strips and can be effective at lightening off-white teeth, however, as each packet of strips is the same and you apply them simply by covering the outer layer of your teeth, they don’t work well for people with overlapping teeth and can leave an irregular appearance with parts of your teeth looking whiter than others.
How Does Teeth Whitening at the Dentist Work?
Dentists also use hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide in teeth whitening treatments but with a higher concentration in the whitening gel that they carefully apply to your teeth. Since dentists use a gel, it can seep into the gaps between your teeth to get better coverage and whiten your teeth more easily and evenly, as well as being quicker and able to achieve whiter teeth thanks to the stronger concentration of chemicals.
However, as the chemical concentration is higher, this also means dentists have to triage patients before whitening their teeth, to make sure it’s a suitable procedure for each individual. Once approved, the dentist will coat your teeth in the gel and shine a UV light over your teeth to speed up the process, so the whole teeth whitening treatment takes less than 60 minutes! Plus, if you look after them well after the treatment, you’ll have beautiful white teeth for up to a year!
What is the Best Teeth Whitening Treatment?
There are many ways of whitening yellow teeth available on the market, and some cost up to £1000, so to know which is the best teeth whitening treatment, it’s important to look at which is the most convenient and which is the most cost-effective.
Common teeth whitening treatments include:
- Teeth-whitening strips
- Teeth whitening at the dentist (usually with a UV light or laser)
- At-home teeth whitening kits
Each treatment has its own benefits and disadvantages, and some are more effective than others on tough stains. So, if your teeth are yellow even though you brush, you’ll want to opt for a more permanent and intense treatment.
Most Convenient
The most convenient tooth whitening treatment has to be one you can do yourself at home in your own time, which includes at-home teeth whitening kits and teeth whitening strips. However, as teeth whitening strips are less effective at whitening teeth evenly and have less dramatic results, at-home teeth whitening kits come out on top as the most convenient.
All you have to do is visit your dentist for approval that teeth whitening is safe for you, get an impression of your teeth made for you to take home with your teeth whitening kit, and apply the gel to your teeth via the personalised mould at increments that suit you! Some gels can be applied for 8 hours at a time, but you should follow your dentist’s advice according to what chemical and concentration of chemicals they use in their whitening gels. After 3 to 4 weeks, you’ll be able to enjoy your new smile.
However, as teeth whitening at the dentist’s practice is much quicker – taking just one 60-minute session after the initial consultation – this may be more convenient for some people.
Most Cost-Effective
The cheapest method of whitening your teeth is by using teeth whitening strips that cost £20 to £30 on average, as you can’t get your teeth whitened for free in the UK. However, as they’re less effective at whitening teeth and often provide unsatisfactory results, you may end up spending more money regularly using teeth whitening strips than if you were to head to the dentist and have them whitened professionally.
There are also types of toothpaste that claim to whiten teeth, however, the small amount of chemicals within the toothpaste makes it largely ineffective when compared to other cosmetic dental treatments. Charcoal toothpaste, and even just charcoal, is also a popular choice for whitening teeth, however, dentists advise against using charcoal to whiten teeth as it is very abrasive and may cause more harm than good by brushing away the protective enamel from your teeth.
So, the most cost-effective teeth whitening treatment in the UK is professional teeth whitening from Didsbury Dental Practice! From just £150, you can have your teeth whitened in the dental practice or take your teeth whitening kit home for you to do at your own convenience!
Can Anyone Have Their Teeth Whitened?
Before having your teeth whitened professionally, you’ll need to have an initial appointment to see if it’s an appropriate treatment for your teeth for several reasons.
People who can’t usually have their teeth whitened include:
- Under 18s
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- People with thin enamel and sensitive teeth
- People with sensitive gums
Firstly, the chemicals involved in teeth-whitening are corrosive, which allows them to strip the stains from your teeth, which is also why only registered dentists are allowed to perform this treatment in the UK. So, people with a thin layer of enamel protecting their teeth causing them to have sensitivity to certain products like very hot or very cold food and drink, will also have sensitivity to the chemicals, so cannot have their teeth whitened in this way.
Similarly, people with sensitive gums may be advised to use a different method of teeth whitening as if the chemicals or UV light come into contact with their gums, they may feel pain or, in serious cases, experience mouth blisters and sores. Professional teeth whitening should not be painful, so your dentist will ensure you can safely have the procedure before beginning.
Under-18s can have their teeth whitened in some very rare circumstances in the UK, but it is most often ill-advised, as people should have all of their adult teeth come through before administering strong chemicals. Moreover, there is little evidence to state for certain that teeth whitening is safe or harmful to unborn or newly born babies and their mothers, but due to the lack of data, it’s best avoided by pregnant and breast-feeding women to reduce any unnecessary risk to their or their babies health.
The UK Best Teeth Whitening Service – Didsbury Dental Practice
With NHS waiting lists seemingly never getting shorter and the UK’s cost of living crisis worsening, it’s no wonder people are neglecting their oral health and feeling unsatisfied with their smiles. But at Didsbury Dental Practice, we want to get the UK smiling again!
Our practice is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so you can book an appointment at a time that suits you. What’s more, we keep our dental treatments affordable so no one has to cover their mouth to laugh or feel embarrassed to smile.
Don’t wait any longer to get your confidence back, book your teeth whitening treatment today!
