I received this seemingly great teeth whitening offer. It’s called premium home whitening. Is it a safe product? Will it actually whiten my teeth? I’ve been considering whitening my teeth for some time, but I thought I should straighten them first, so I’d been saving up for Invisalign. This may allow me to do both.
Caren O.
Dear Caren,
After some research it looks like, with one exception, the Premium kit is legitimate and will whiten your teeth. The light won’t accelerate the whitening, the way it will if you do Zoom Whitening in-office. The one that comes with the Premium kit is pretty much just psychological. While it will whiten your teeth, there are some things that concern me, so I won’t recommend it.
Be Sure to do Teeth Whitening Under the Care of a Dentist
The way they do the whitening trays, you’re not going to get a true custom fit. This will cause the gel to leak, leading to irritation and painful gums. Not only that, but it won’t be as effective. Then, when you consider issues that could arise with existing dental work or open margins, you could end up with complications. Some patients doing over-the-counter whitening have ended up needing a root canal as a result.
The cost is another issue. Obviously, this is less expensive than what your dentist is offering or you wouldn’t be considering it. But, it’s still higher than an over-the-counter whitening should be. In fact, you could probably find dentists willing to do it cheaper.
I’m going to suggest a different option. You’ve been saving up for Invisalign. I’d stick with getting that and then tell your dentist you’d like your Invisalign trays to pull double duty as whitening trays. That’s very easy to do so he or she shouldn’t give you any trouble with it. This will allow you to get both procedures done while still being under the care of a dentist.
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