Gel tooth whitening is a method used to restore a tooth’s surface color by the removal of dirt and debris. We start out with sparkly white teeth because of the tooth enamel that protects teeth from the effects of chewing, gnashing, trauma, and acid attacks caused by sugar. Over time the enamel becomes worn which allows the yellowish color of the tooth’s core material to show. Bleaching also known as gel whitening can be an effective method to combat this problem.

There are three choices available when you want to use gel tooth whitening. You can get in-office treatment, buy a kit from your dentist, or buy a kit at the drugstore. Visiting your dentist can be the best option if you can afford it. A dentist is able to use the highest concentration of peroxide so you get several shades of whitening on just one visit. This is also the safest method. Your dentist has been trained in how to care for your teeth so he can minimize problems with tooth sensitivity and gum irritation.

Before beginning the gel tooth whitening procedure, your dentist will examine and clean your teeth to make sure they are healthy. Next, he will apply a rubber dam to your gums to protect them from the peroxide gel. He will then apply the thick peroxide whitening gel and leave it in place for 15 to 20 minutes. When the time is up, the gel is washed off and then reapplied until it has been in contact with your teeth for at least an hour.

The whitening progress will also be monitored during each interval to see how well the teeth have whitened and which teeth if any may require more gel. The total treatment time will not exceed more than one hour. Once the process is complete your dentist may recommend follow-up in-office gel whitening if results are not satisfactory.

In-office gel tooth whitening is safe and effective but does have some drawbacks. For one thing it is costly. You can expect to pay up to $650 for one session. Plus there is no guarantee you will get the results you want. You may need additional sessions. It could even be possible that your teeth will not get any whiter due to heredity, stain type, or age. Also, gel whitening is not permanent, so you will probably need to have on-going treatments of some type to keep your teeth white.

You can save some money on gel tooth whitening when you buy the kit from your dentist and apply it at home yourself. You should be able to buy a kit for under $400, which is a substantial savings. These are more expensive than store bought kits because they have a higher percentage of peroxide in them and can only be obtained from a dentist. The results you get are just as good, or even better, than the results you get from in-office treatment. The results may be better because you can extend the treatments over a longer period of time.

Dentist-dispensed kits consist of custom fitted application trays that keep the bleach in contact with the teeth. The gel can be fine tuned by your dentist to ensure proper concentration and loaded to the trays before use. Your dentist will instruct you as to proper use of the gel tooth whitening take-home kits.

Gel tooth whitening kits can also be purchased over the counter at the store. This is the least expensive way to whiten your teeth. These kits can be purchased for under $100. The peroxide concentration in the store bought kits is lower than what you would get in a dentist supplied kit or from an in-office treatment. These kits also come with a standardized tray unlike the custom fitted one you would receive from a dentist. Even with those drawbacks, you can still get whiter teeth from store bought kits, just don’t expect the same rapid results that you would get from a professional teeth whitening treatment.

If you want to save money, but still get great results, then home whitening could be just the answer! This type of gel tooth whitening can produce fantastic results, as long as you know where to find the best quality kits!