Next time you go to Target or Walmart, take a look at the toothpaste section and notice the number of whitening toothpastes available. Whitening solutions are now so prevalent that it can be hard to find toothpaste without a claim to whiten your teeth faster than ever before. Most of us have tried these kinds of toothpaste, with varying results, and we’ve all probably asked ourselves, “How does this actually work?”
Whitening toothpaste contains chemical agents that aid in the process of removing stains (all kinds of toothpaste help to whiten teeth to a minimal degree through the removal of surface stains). While whitening toothpaste does not contain bleach, they do contain hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a bleaching agent. Hydrogen peroxide helps to remove mild surface stains, as well as stains in the grooves of your teeth. Some toothpaste contains a substance called blue covarine, which uses an optical illusion to make your teeth appear less yellow. The effect of this substance is witnessed much sooner than the effect of hydrogen peroxide, which can take weeks for results to appear. Whitening toothpaste, if used too much, can cause your enamel to erode. Most dentists recommend using a toothpaste approved by the American Dental Association, just to be safe.
However, whitening toothpaste has a limited overall effect on teeth whitening. Most of these kinds of toothpaste can only lighten your teeth color by about one shade. In comparison, our Zoom! or KöR Whitening Solutions can whiten anywhere from 3-8 shades, depending on the case and usage.
While the marketing may appear gimmicky, whitening toothpaste can be effective, but not as effective as seeing a dentist to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted.
If you have any questions about our whitening solutions or would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact our team or make an appointment and our incredible staff will give you the best dental care possible.