I have peroxide at home and want to know if I can use this to whiten my teeth at home without going to the dentist? I understand it is the same thing they use.
Carol
Dear Carol,
While both are peroxide, the amount you purchase at the store for your home is about 3%. While it is possible there could be some whitening if you rinsed with it long enough that there would be some whitening, but it will be very mild. In order for it to do any good at all, you would need to rinse with it for about 15 minutes so it could seep into your teeth.
This is why your dentist uses bleaching trays for the at-home teeth whitening they provide. It is much more comfortable for the patient that way. In addition to bleaching trays, which are custom-fit to your particular bite, the strength of the gel is significantly stronger, usually a minimum of 22% peroxide.
There are Crest Whitestrips, that you can purchase over the counter without going to a dentist. Just be aware they have a strength of about 6%, so it is mild as well. You’d have to use many more to get the same level of whitening. In addition, they only cover your six front teeth, so you won’t have as much coverage as you’d get with the dentist.
If it is a matter of not wanting to do the trays there are some dentists who offer Zoom Whitening. This allows you to get your teeth completely whitened in just one appointment. However, it is a little more expensive than the trays.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.