There are a variety of products and methods on the market today that claim to deliver effective dental whitening. Some of these methods and products work better than others and some do not actually work at all. The important factors in whitening gels are the active ingredients, stabilizing ingredients, viscosity and reactivity. The most effective systems utilize Carbamide Peroxide in a concentration of 10% - 35% in a glycerin-free base. For tray-based bleaching, higher viscosity formulas containing concentrations of 16% - 22% Carbamide Peroxide yield the best balance of results and comfort. For in-office or trayless bleaching, a high-penetration formula of 22% - 35% are best. Listed below are the popular methods for at-home dental whitening and their easy-to-measure criterion to compare their effectiveness and value.
The bleaching tray is the most important component in a tray-based teeth bleaching system. There are a variety of bleaching trays on the market today. Most are sub-par. As a part of our ongoing research and development, we test virtually every other tray sold in today’s markets Unfortunately, most manufacturers do not use the latest technology, shapes and polymers to create their trays. They create trays from low cost materials and procedures without regard to efficacy, comfort and thermo-reactivity. This means that most trays are either too small, are incorrectly shaped, are made from inferior polymers and most do not create an effective and comfortable tray.
There are several important things to look for in a bleaching tray:
- Customizable - An effective bleaching tray should be moldable to the individual by either thermoforming (boil-n-bite) or impression-based formation.
- Size - A bleaching tray should be able to reach most or all of the teeth prior to thermoforming. Usually a tray should cover all but the last 2-3 molars.
- Shape - A tray should have the correct shape to allow for total coverage from the top of the tooth to the to bottom. This is important for the front of the teeth and somewhat important for the back of the teeth.
- Composition - The special polymer blend of a bleaching tray is very important. This will dictate the tray’s thermoforming properties and comfort when wearing.
- Clarity - The best bleaching trays will be a very clear color. This is so that you can see the distribution of gel when you place the tray over your teeth. With the boom in LED assisted bleaching, clarity is also very important. Clear polymer blends usually have the best thermoforming properties and soft, comfortable feeling when wearing.
- ThermoForming Properties - A tray needs to be able to be softened when placed in hot to boiling water. The best trays require a lower temperature to soften them and they tend to stay soft and comfortable after formation. Less adequate trays require higher temperatures to soften them and they tend to be hard and uncomfortable to wear.
An effective tray-based whitening system must
contain custom moldable bleaching trays for your teeth. The whitening
gel is required to stay in contact with the surface of your teeth for a
length of time in order to be effective. Without the use of a moldable
bleaching tray you will see problematic and inconsistent results. There
are two types of moldable bleaching trays, the ThermoForm (boil-n-bite)
type and the ProLab professional lab-created type. Both are effective,
but ProLab bleaching trays (made by your dentist) may be more
convenient and comfortable to use, but are typically more expensive.
Quality ThermoForm Whitening kits will provide you with a soft,
low-heat, clear tray that is easy to form and comfortable to wear.
Also, quality kits provide an additional bleaching tray. Sometimes a
patient may destroy a bleaching tray during the molding process and it
is always nice to have an extra one just in case.
There are a variety of dental bleaching gels on the market. Like dental bleaching trays, they all have varying degrees of efficacy. There are several important features of a bleaching gel to look for:
Active Ingredient - Carbamide Peroxide is the ingredient of choice because of its efficacy and shelf-life. This is the ingredient that most dentists prefer. Hydrogen Peroxide is also effective, but has a very short shelf-life and is not widely used for dental bleaching any longer.
Percentage of Active Ingredient - Carbamide Peroxide in the amount of 1% to 35% is used in dental whitening gel. Be sure to use a Carbamide Peroxide of at least 10% for fast bleaching. As a general rule, first-time bleachers should use a 16%-22% formula and begin treatment slowly until tolerance it built for the peroxide base. If a Dental Whitening Formula does not list the percentage of Carbamide Peroxide of its label, it is safe to assume it is a low powered formula.
Base Ingredients - Peroxide dental whitening gels are usually formulated in a base of glycerin, propylene glycol, carbomer or a combination of each. The best formulations are glycerin-free since glycerin can create additional sensitivities and actually nullifies the reactivity of the gel, thereby slowing the whitening process.
Viscosity - The thickness (or viscosity) of a gel is very important. An effective formula will be a medium-high viscosity (otherwise known as thick or sticky). This helps the gel stay on the teeth where it can do its work. The best gels strike a balance such that a gel can penetrate the poors of the teeth and stay in place long enough to oxidize stains.
Additive Ingredients - Other ingredients can be added to the bleaching formula. Some additive ingredients found are potassium nitrate, fluoride and assorted stabilizers. Our philosophy is to use a pure formula for dental bleaching gel without unnecessary additives since there are no studies showing the long-term effects of such additives in combination with dental bleaching agents. The only additive ingredient of value is potassium nitrate which can be found in sensitivity toothpaste of in separate formulations if needed.
The most important thing to look for is the active ingredient. You will prefer to use Carbamide Peroxide since it is highly effective and is the bleaching agent of choice in most dental offices. Some gel is made from less expensive hydrogen peroxide, but beware. Hydrogen Peroxide has a very short shelf-life. By the time a hydrogen peroxide gel is manufactured, distributed and finally used by the consumer, it may have little or no whitening power left. This is the main reason why Carbamide Peroxide gel is preferred. You can count on it having a shelf-life of up to two years if unrefrigerated or 3-4 years if kept refrigerated.
If a dental whitening system does not contain Carbamide Peroxide, it probably won't give you the results you want. Whitening gels should contain from 10% to 35% carbamide peroxide. The most popular strength is 22%. The higher the percentage of carbamide peroxide, the more powerful the formula. Be aware that a high percentage (above 22%) of carbamide peroxide in a tray-based bleacing method may cause unnecessary tooth and gum irritation. Also, buyer beware of any product that is delivered in unmarked containers, tubes and/or syringes or is not compliant with FDA regulations.
The most effective whitening gels are of a medium-high viscosity. In other words it should be thick enough to adhear to the teeth while being thin enough to penetrate the poor and oxidize properly.
The only other consideration to be given to the formulation of dental bleaching systems is the addition of other active ingredients to the whitening gel. Other products may add flavorings or desensitizers to reduce discomfort of your mouth, gums or teeth during the bleaching process. We elected not to add desensitizers to our formula for very simple reasons. Sensitivity is your body’s way of telling you to reduce the exposure time to the bleaching agent. If you inhibit this natural warning buzzer, you may unknowingly increase your sensitivity reaction. Also, be aware if fluoride is contained in the whitening gel formula. It is against FDA regulations to formulate a whitening gel with fluoride since the FDA has not approved bleaching formulas containing fluoride.
Lastly, use common sense to purchase the right teeth whitening system for you. The number one complaint of at-home dental bleaching patients is that they did not receive enough whitening gel to get the job done. You must receive enough whitening gel to get your desired results. Most systems package the gel inside several syringes containing only 1.2ml to 3ml each (unlike the Oversized 5ml Syringes sold here). Be aware that most systems create the need for you to purchase multiple kits and/or refill gel in order to get enough whitening gel to see the results you desire. Make sure that you receive enough whitening gel to get the results you are after.
Make sure that the dental whitening system you purchase comes with a money-back guarantee. You should be able to see significant results within 30 days from the start of your treatment. This is an easy way to tell if the company you purchase your whitening system from has confidence in its own system.
