What are some home-based teeth whitening options?

Over-the-counter teeth whitening kits have become popular these days because they are affordable and easy to use. They contain less peroxide than the whitening products used by dentists. 

Over-the-counter whitening kits and products primarily include whitening trays, whitening tape, mouthwash, and toothpaste.

1. Whitening tray set

Teeth whitening tray sets are a way to whiten your teeth at home. Over-the-counter whitening trays, because they are not custom-made, do not fit your teeth precisely and can easily lead 

to leakage of bleach and irritation and sensitivity of your gums.

Dentists recommend that patients use custom-made whitening tray sets in the office, which greatly reduce gum irritation from bleach leakage and because they contain a higher proportion of bleach concentration, teeth whitening is better.

2. Whitening tape

Whitening tape is one of the most popular methods of teeth whitening available. This is made from a thin, flexible plastic and coated with a low-concentration bleaching product.

These tapes come pre-packaged and are placed directly on the teeth to easily conform to the shape of the teeth.

They can be worn while you do other activities, and when you're done wearing them (usually about 30 minutes), they can be thrown away. Most are used twice daily for two weeks.

Whitening tape is more effective than whitening toothpaste. But they can cause tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. If you experience these side effects during use, please seek help from your dentist.

Whitening tapes are generally less effective than custom-made whitening trays because saliva can seep under the tapes, diluting the bleach, and they are more likely to dislodge during wear.

Most whitening tapes are considered safe because they contain very low concentrations of peroxide. However, be careful to avoid whitening tapes that contain chlorine dioxide, which can damage tooth enamel.

3. Whitening mouthwash

Whitening mouthwash is one of the newest products for whitening teeth. In addition to freshening breath and reducing plaque and gum disease, these products also contain bleaching agents so they can whiten teeth.

Like regular mouthwash, you just swish it in your mouth twice a day before brushing your teeth, but it may take up to 12 weeks to see results.

Some experts believe that the short time that whitening mouthwash has been on the market is not enough to evaluate the real effect of use.

4. Whitening toothpaste

Whitening toothpastes do not contain bleaching agents like professional whitening products. They usually contain mild abrasives such as silica, aluminum oxide, calcium carbonate and baking soda, 

which can help remove stains from the surface of your teeth.

They are not helpful in removing deep stains from teeth. Most whitening toothpastes only make your teeth one shade lighter.