With the myriad of teeth whitening products available, it is difficult to choose one. Let us take a look at teeth whitening trays. They are available either in the dentist office or over-the-counter. They are molded to the teeth, and then they are filled with a hydrogen peroxide containing gel. Finally, they are placed on the teeth where they will hold the peroxide to the teeth for a long period of time.
The most common over-the-counter whitening trays are Aquafresh White Trays. The gel in Aquafresh White Trays contains ten percent hydrogen peroxide.
Gels from the dentist often contain more than ten percent hydrogen peroxide. This gel, along with the trays, are usually given to patients after a procedure, such as a laser teeth whitening procedure, and are to be used at home as a final touch-up to the procedure.
The trays have features both better and worse than other teeth whitening products.
Whitening trays are better than whitening toothpastes, because the toothpastes do not contain the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide, but instead contain only abrasive materials which are less effective.
Whitening mouthwashes fail in comparison to whitening trays as well, because they only expose the teeth to the hydrogen peroxide for a minute or less, while the trays hold it for a longer period, usually twenty minutes.
Whitening strips also have their weaknesses when compared to whitening trays. The strips cannot get in between the teeth into the grooves, since they lay on top of the teeth. However, the whitening trays do.
Whitening trays, however, are not perfect. They use gel, which translates into less control for the user. The hydrogen peroxide gel can spill into unwanted areas of the mouth, coming into contact with the cheeks, tongue, or gums.
Gel spilling into the mouth will leave an unpleasant taste, but that is the least of your worries. It will cause burning, which will lead to tooth and gum sensitivity. This sensitivity, however, is not permanent, and it will usually subside within twenty four to forty eight hours.
While the whitening trays definitely work well (they do not give the “zebra” effect that a user experiences when using whitening strips, and whitening trays are the most thorough after laser teeth whitening), they cannot be recommended due to the inability to control where the gel goes and the resulting damage to tissue. Regardless how well a whitener works, it should not cause damage to the mouth.
Cody Scholberg, a recognized expert on whitening methods, writes about teeth whitening methods, such as laser teeth whitening.
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