I received a Groupon in the mail for a discount on Premium Home Whitening. I know a lot of these home whitening kits are little more than a scam. But, if this is a good deal I’ll probably get it. I’ve been thinking about whitening my teeth for some time.
Isobel
Dear Isobel,
The good thing about this product is the whitening ingredient of 35% carbamide peroxide. This aspect is legitimate and will whiten your teeth. What I don’t like is them promoting the blue light. It’s a bunch of hooey and won’t accelerate anything.
The bad things are the fact that the tray is not going to fit well the way the one your dentist will custom-fit to your bite. The problem with this is two-fold. First, this will allow saliva to enter and dilute the whitening gel. That means you may require more than one kit in order to get it done properly. Now you’ve doubled the price. Second, the gel itself can escape the tray, which can lead to irritation to your gums.
It’s always good to be under the care of a dentist in these situations. There are patients who needed root canals treatment because they did over-the-counter whitening kits, but their gums were affected and they didn’t recognize the signs.
You can get the teeth whitening done at your dentist for about the same price they are asking. While some dentists will charge more for their teeth whitening, some will even charge less.
In your place, here is what I’d recommend. First, I’d start by telling your dentist about your desire to get your teeth whitened and the offer you received. See if he’ll match the price or come close. Even if he only comes close, his professional teeth whitening will be more effective than what you can get over Groupon.
If he’s not interested in coming close, then I’d simply call around to other dental offices. Most offices require a cleaning first so the results won’t be splotchy, so be sure to tell them you just had your teeth cleaned. Then go to the dentist who offers you the best price.
This isn’t a procedure that requires any expertise in cosmetic dentistry, so any general dentist should be able to do it.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins. Ask about our one appointment Zoom Whitening.