Do Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Products Really Work?

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Brushing your teeth regularly is enough to keep your teeth brightening like pearls. But, those people who have coffee habits and are addicted to alcohol and tobacco-containing products, that’s just not the case. They need more than routine cleaning of their teeth as their teeth are pale and stained. 

Presently, pale and stained teeth are the most common dental problem in the world. If you just take a look around in your neighborhood, you will be surprised to notice that most people have pale and stained teeth. The reason could be unhealthy diet plans, too much consumption of acidic drinks, regular consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical medicines.  

This dental problem is not a major disease. It is neither painful nor life-threatening, but yes it has many effects on the daily lifestyle of humans. Generally, the patients with such dental problems lose the brightness of their pearly whites, their pretty smile, and self-confidence as well. So, it is very important to treat pale and stained teeth as soon as possible otherwise this disease will dominate your mind and you will not be able to concentrate on anything else. 

The Teeth Whitening Options

Whitening dentists in McKinney TX have many teeth whitening options. We can categorize those into two major categories: Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening and Professional Teeth Whitening. 

Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening

In Over-the-Counter teeth whitening, you get many different teeth whitening products such as whitening strips, whitening wraps, bleaching, gels, tubes of toothpaste, mouthwashes, and whitening pens. These products are manufactured by different brands, and so have different characteristics and benefits. Generally, you use these OTC products without consulting your dentist. 

Based on the experimental uses and the manufacturers’ statements, they are very effective to whiten the pale and stained teeth and to bring back the pretty smiles. But many question the effectiveness of these products. They want to know whether or not Over-the-Counter whitening products really effective to whiten teeth. If you have the same query, keep reading this piece of writing as you will get a satisfying answer in the end. Let’s discuss a little bit about Professional Teeth Whitening. 

Professional Teeth Whitening 

In professional teeth whitening, the whitening treatment is processed under the supervision of specialized dentists. It is also called in-office teeth whitening. It mainly includes laser treatment and tray bleaching. Generally, teeth whitening treatments are processed in a dental office within one-two hours. After the treatment, patients are given a particular diet plan and some important instructions for taking care of their teeth. They also have to visit the dental office again and again as explained by the dentists for further assessments and treatments. This can be a little costly, but the patients get 100% results, and that too within a few weeks. So, professional teeth whitening is a very effective way to get rid of pale and stained teeth. 

Do OTC Products Really Whiten the Teeth? 

It is a fact that professional teeth whitening treatments give 100% results. But if we talk about over-the-counter teeth whitening products, there is still a lack of clarity. People know that OTC teeth whitening products are effective to treat pale and stained teeth, but the question is that are they as effective as professional whitening treatments are? Well, let’s try to find the answer. 

Generally, there are two types of discoloration in our teeth. The one that develops over time due to improper regular brushing and cleaning of teeth. It is called intrinsic. Then there is extrinsic, the one that develops due to the routinely deposits on the surface of teeth from smoking, taking coffee, consuming alcohol and acidic drinks, consuming tobacco-containing products, and taking medicines. Of course, extrinsic discoloration is tough to treat. 

The OTC products such as whitening strips, wraps, and gels can whiten your teeth if your teeth have intrinsic discoloration. However, these products will not be as effective as professional teeth whitening treatments are. So, if you are completely dependent on OTC products, you should not expect complete whitening of your teeth. 

On the other hand, if we talk about toothpaste and mouthwashes, they are specially made for keeping your mouth fresh and clean. They are the least effective OTC products for whitening pale and stained teeth. But yes, they are effectively keeping your mouth protected from bacterias, germs infections, and plaques. 

Do You Invest In OTC Teeth Whitening Products? 

It depends on different factors. If you have minor discoloration issues on your teeth, you can invest in these products without any hesitation because they will certainly help you get rid of yellow surfaces and dark spots. But if you have a major discoloration issue, you should first ask your concerned dentist and consult with him/her. He/she will quickly examine your teeth, then suggest whether or not you should invest in OTC teeth whitening products. 

Final Thought

Considering all the facts mentioned above in this piece of writing, we would say, yes OTC teeth whitening products are effective to reduce the yellowness and darkness of teeth, but they are not as effective and professional teeth whitening treatments are. So, it is always better to consult with your concerned dentist whether or not you should invest in them.