Steps To Safe Teeth Whitening

Safety Tips

When you’re trying to decide between different over the counter teeth whitening products, it is important to take some things into consideration. Once you’ve made the decision between whitening solutions, strips, gels, rinses or trays, you should consult with other people who have used the products. Researching the different teeth whitening methods is a great way to find one that will work for you, as will consulting your dentist.

Some other things to consider:

If you’re going to use a teeth whitening kit that has a mouth tray, try and get one that is customizable or can be molded to some degree. This will help limit the chance of gum and tissue irritation and could help the effect of the teeth whitening procedure.
Follow the product’s instructions to a ‘t’! They’re there for a reason!
If you experience, at any time during treatment, prolonged color change in your gums or tissue, an increase in tooth sensitivity to hot or cold beverages or foods, stop treatment and see your dentist immediately.

The ADA Seal of Acceptance: Why isn’t it on all products?

Many consumers who have purchased a tooth whitening system through their dentist, then have purchased a teeth whitening product over-the-counter may have noticed something missing from the over-the-counter product; the ADA seal of acceptance. This may cause them to worry about the safety of the products that they’ve purchased outside of the dentist’s office.

Some whitening products that are either used in dentist’s offices, or that are sold through dentists’ offices have received the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. This means that the product has undergone review and meets the ADA guidelines for both safety and effectiveness. At the moment, only dentist-issued products for at home use that contain 10% carbamide peroxide and in office applied products that contain 35% hydrogen peroxide have obtained and ADA Seal of Acceptance. Because the ADA believes that you should consult with your dentist before beginning a teeth whitening regiment, no over the counter products are on posses an ADA Seal of Acceptance. Dentist consultation, they believe, is the best way to supports a the safety of the user and the effectiveness of the product. Also, no teeth whitening products that include the use of lasers carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance. However, there are several over-the-counter whitening toothpastes that do carry the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance. All of the specific toothpastes that carry the Seal of Acceptance can be found on the ADA’s website, www.ada.org, along with tips, articles, and a full listing of supported products and procedures.

The Seal of Acceptance is a voluntary program that requires and immense amount of time, expense and effort on the part of the product’s manufacturer, and thus not all manufacturers seek to obtain the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance. Not having the Seal of Acceptance does not mean that the product is neither safe nor effective. Quite the opposite – there are plenty of products that do not bear the Seal of Acceptance that are both safe and effective, that consumers adore. The only difference is that if the products do Carry the ADA’s Seal of Acceptance, then you know that it has met high standards for safety and effectiveness, meaning that if the product is used correctly it will work.

Curious about which teeth whitening product performed the best in our tests? Have a look at our product comparison chart to see.