The Dangers Of Shop-Bought Teeth Whitening Exposed

Most people dislike some things about their teeth; for many, staining and discolouration are the most noticeable issues they’d like to change. Thankfully, teeth whitening treatments can clean up your smile and help you regain your sparkle.

These days, teeth whitening is freely available. We offer professional whitening, and you can buy various products in stores and online that promise a bright and healthy smile. 

There are many reasons why you may choose not to undergo professional treatment. You may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable letting us examine your teeth, or you may want to save money and use a DIY whitening kit. The question is, how safe and effective are shop-bought whitening products?

Let’s explore how teeth whitening works and discuss how you can brighten your smile. 

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Several treatments suggest they can whiten teeth; these range from toothpaste to DIY kits with whitening trays or strips or professional products administered by dentists. 

How Does Whitening Toothpaste Work?

Whitening toothpastes claim to remove stains. These products typically contain an abrasive additive like baking soda or charcoal that strips away surface stains. 

The issue with whitening toothpaste is that stains and discolouration often go deeper, and the active ingredient isn’t effective on embedded stains. Additionally, using an abrasive toothpaste too much can damage the enamel of your teeth, increasing sensitivity and the risk of tooth decay. 

How Do DIY Teeth Whitening Kits Work?

Shop-bought whitening uses low levels of peroxide to lighten your teeth and remove stains. The peroxide is generally applied using whitening trays that sit on your teeth or strips. 

How Does Professional Whitening Work?

Like DIY kits, professional teeth whitening uses hydrogen peroxide; however, the levels we can legally administer are much higher than those found in products found in shops or online. 

You’ll wear a custom-made whitening tray on your teeth every day for around two weeks. These trays hold the whitening gel that will brighten your smile. We use Enlighten, a safe and highly effective treatment that you can use in your home. 

How Safe Are Shop-Bought Whitening Kits?

Although the levels of hydrogen peroxide are considerably lower in shop-bought DIY whitening kits, they’re actually more dangerous than the higher-strength products we provide. 

Firstly, there are no pre-treatment checkups when you use a DIY product. Whitening damaged or weak teeth could cause pain and discomfort. Before we provide whitening treatment, we’ll perform a thorough examination to ensure you don’t have weak enamel or cavities. 

Although you’ll use the professional whitening treatments we offer at home, you’ll do so using custom-made trays that hold the gel safely in place. Shop-bought kits lack precision, and there’s a danger the whitening gels could leak and cause harm. 

Finally, some shops and websites will break the law and sell stronger whitening kits. These are unregulated and could cause irreparable damage to your teeth and gums. 

How Effective Are Shop-Bought Whitening Kits?

Shop-bought whitening kits contain lower levels of hydrogen peroxide than professional treatments like Enlighten. Due to this, DIY products will never compare in effectiveness to the treatments offered by dentists.

Dentists use the VITA whitening scale to measure the brightness of a smile. Enlighten can whiten your smile to B1, which is the whitest shade possible. 

Teeth Whitening and the Law

There are strict legal limits on the strength of store-bought whitening products. Shops can sell whitening kits that contain 0.1% hydrogen peroxide or 0.3% carbamide peroxide. 

Professional whitening treatments up to 6% hydrogen peroxide are legally permitted. These must be administered by qualified GDC-registered dental professionals to patients over 18 years of age. 

Beauty salons are not permitted to offer teeth whitening. Any non-dental professional who provides whitening is breaking the law. They won’t be qualified or insured either. 

Teeth Whitening in Sheffield

For safe and effective teeth whitening, we recommend Enlighten. Call today and schedule your teeth whitening appointment in Sheffield.

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