Keeping Your Pearly Whites Fresh

At Pearl Boutique we have performed thousands of professional teeth whitenings. Today I want to help with some of the confusion in the language around teeth whitening, as well as provide you with some great ways to maintain your pearly whites after your professional teeth whitening.

1. What is the difference between laser teeth whitening and teeth whitening with an LED light? Laser teeth whitening is whitening with an LED light.
2. Why do some places paint a barrier on your gums and some just put a tray in your mouth? The places that are painting a barrier on your gums should be using a stronger more effective teeth whitening gel, you will see this technique used in the dental/dental hygiene office setting.
3. What is the difference between a teeth whitening in a dental/dental hygiene office versus a teeth whitening in a spa? The differences are in the effectiveness, quality and safety of the procedure. In a dental office, dental grade products are being used, this means they can only be purchased by dental professionals and are of a stronger, higher quality. The reason a spa cannot use a strong teeth whitening gel is because only dental professionals can actually perform any procedure on your teeth. You will notice a spa technician will hand you a pre filled whitening tray to put in your mouth, and then they will set the LED light up in front of you; they are not allowed to paint the barrier on your gums and therefore have to use a gel that is less strong.  It is recommended to get your teeth whitening done by a dental professional. Not everyone is a good candidate for professional teeth whitening, and only a dental professional is trained to recognize the contra-indications. Some examples of contra-indications are: infections, decay, or tetracycline staining (a stain that cannot be removed from teeth whitening caused by the use of tetracycline).
4. Is it better to use a rinse or a toothpaste for maintenance? I personally prefer a whitening rinse, I find they work a little bit better, Listerine makes a good one called Listerine White.
5. Is a take home whitening gel tube or whitening pen better to use? I personally prefer a whitening pen with a tray, this way you have more control of how much gel you are using and it is easier to avoid your gums. Depending on the strength of the whitening gel, you can wear the tray anywhere from 15 mins to overnight. We sell a very strong whitening pen, so you only need to wear it in trays for 15 minutes a day, you can also take the pen on the go and use it without a tray.

I hope this answers some questions about in office and take home teeth whitening. For more questions visit your dental professional or we would be happy to answer your questions via email: smile@teethwhiteningbypearl.com .