Whitening your teeth can be done effectively and efficiently in the comfort of your own home. However, it’s important to understand the different methods available to you—and how to use them safely.
Here’s everything you need to know about at-home teeth whitening.
How Does At-Home Teeth Whitening Work?
Teeth can develop two types of stains: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic stains appear in the natural small porosity, or tiny cracks, of your teeth. They affect your dentin, the layer of your tooth directly under the hard, protective enamel layer. Intrinsic stains are caused by certain medications, infections, typical aging, deficient restorations (fillings) and trauma. Whitening agents cannot break down some of the molecules responsible for intrinsic tooth staining, notably heavy, dark gray stains.
Extrinsic stains, as you may have guessed, are stains that appear on the outside layer of your teeth. If you enjoy drinking coffee, tea, soda, and/or red wine regularly, you likely have more extrinsic stains than someone who drinks mostly water. Eating certain bright-colored foods such as blueberries, beets, curries and tomato-based sauces and using tobacco products also darken teeth. At-home whitening products can be helpful in removing these exterior stains from your teeth.
Most teeth whitening products use one of two chemicals—hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide—as the active whitening agent. The oxygen molecules within these chemicals interact with the molecules of your discolored tooth. As the whitening agent molecules infiltrate your teeth, they weaken the bonds of the stained molecules, slowly removing them.
These two chemicals aren’t very different. In fact, hydrogen peroxide is found within carbamide peroxide. The main difference between these two chemicals is that hydrogen peroxide breaks down faster and has a shorter shelf life than carbamide peroxide. A dental professional may recommend carbamide peroxide for an at-home device that you will use over a long period of time.
Toothpastes are the exception to peroxide rule. Most toothpastes advertised to whiten teeth don’t contain a whitening agent, but rather abrasives such as silica that mechanically remove stains from the enamel layer of your teeth.
While teeth whitening procedures are likely offered by your dentist, many people turn to at-home whitening products for convenience and affordability. “If a person has sound, healthy teeth and tooth structure, an over-the-counter product could work,” says Robert DiPilla, a cosmetic dentist in Detroit. “However, for anyone with dental work, gingivitis, tooth sensitivity or decay, over-the-counter products can make those issues worse.”
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Best Ways to Whiten Your Teeth at Home
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