When A Do-It-Yourself Smile Is Not Good Enough

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Most people recognize that a bright white smile is an advantage in many situations. It's also a source of confidence for people who meet and speak with others frequently. You have two options for creating this smile: a visit to your dentist or a DIY home kit. While the home kit is convenient and less expensive, is it something you want to rely on for giving you professional results? Here are some reasons why putting your smile in the hands of your dentist is a better option that using a DIY home kit.

The Professional Approach

To understand what you are, and are not, getting from a home kit, first consider the cosmetic dentistry approach to teeth whitening.

Your dentist or hygienist will do a thorough teeth cleaning and pay special attention to getting rid of all of the plaque from your teeth. Plaque will keep the whitening agent from touching the tooth enamel. They will also look for any signs of tooth decay that needs to be corrected before the whitening session.

The whitening agent used in the dentist office is much stronger than in home kits. Your cheeks, lips and gums are protected from being irritated by the agent with barriers on the gums and retractors to hold your cheeks and lips away from your teeth.

The whitening agent is then applied to your teeth. Most products require a special light to be used to activate the bleaching properties. You'll sit with the whitener on your teeth for several minutes, until the desired shade is reached. The dentist will then rinse out your mouth carefully so your gums are not irritated by residual whitening agent.

The desired results are often obtained with a single session because of the strength of the whitener and the attention to preparing your teeth for even results.

The DIY Home Kit Approach

There are many types of home kits available at the drugstore. Some contain a liquid that is swabbed onto your teeth. Others use a tray to hold a whitening gel against your teeth. While these kits are easy to use, here are the risks you take to getting the results that you really want:

You may struggle with a home kit from the drugstore and see little difference in your smile. Cosmetic dentistry has evolved teeth whitening to be a painless and effective way to get a white smile. Consider seeing a cosmetic dentist, like http://www.vernonhillsdentist.com, to give you a bright and confident smile.


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