Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening trays are now available as a teeth whitening option either over-the-counter or in the dentist office. The trays are first molded to the teeth, after which they are filled with a gel, which contains hydrogen peroxide. They are then placed on the teeth, where they hold the hydrogen peroxide containing gel on the teeth for a period of time.

Over-the-counter teeth whitening trays are mostly limited to Aquafresh White Trays. The gel that comes in this product contains ten percent hydrogen peroxide.

Gels that users get at the dentist often contain more than ten percent hydrogen peroxide, making them more effective. The trays and gel are usually given to a patient after a laser teeth whitening treatment or other teeth whitening treatment in order to complete the finishing touches of the treatment.

The trays have both pros and cons over other teeth whitening products.

Whitening trays are better than whitening toothpastes, because the toothpastes do not contain the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide, but instead contain only abrasive materials which are less effective.

Whitening mouthwashes cannot compare with whitening trays either, because they only hold the hydrogen peroxide to the teeth for a minute or less, while the trays hold the peroxide for a long period, generally twenty minutes.

Whitening strips are not as effective as whitening trays in the sense that they do not get into the cracks and grooves in between the teeth, because they lay on of them. Whitening trays, because they use a gel, do get into these cracks.

Sadly, whitening trays are not perfect. Because they use gel, the user has less control over where the hydrogen peroxide goes. Sometimes, the gel can spill into the mouth or come into contact with the gum, cheek, or tongue.

Gel spilling into the mouth will leave an unpleasant taste, but that is the least of your worries. It will cause burning, which will lead to tooth and gum sensitivity. This sensitivity, however, is not permanent, and it will usually subside within twenty four to forty eight hours.

These trays will certainly whiten your teeth well, however. They do not leave spots out like the strips do; there is no “zebra” effect. If you are looking for a teeth whitening product that will be the most thorough, and you do not want to spend the money on a laser teeth whitening procedure, then white trays would be a good choice if it were not for their problem of easily burning mouth tissue. As it stands, they are not recommended for this reason.