Kiosk Teeth Whitening... yeah right.

So, after a couple margaritas a friend pulled me aside and said that she had been "swindled by those bastards at the mall" saying that they could bleach her teeth for $99. Just as everyone wants their teeth lighter, everyone who hears this kiosk sales pitch first is pessimistic. And they should be...

Ok, so here is how the kiosk bleaching works. They give you a mouthguard (one size fits all sort of thing) with some bleaching gel in it and have you put it in your own mouth. The reason they have you do it is because they are not dentists and by law cannot do it themselves. So, the gel runs all over your mouth, gets on your gums, and down your throat. Think about it, if the gel is safe enough for it to get on your gums and even swallow it, how is it going to be strong enough to bleach your teeth? Oh, and that light they use basically does one thing. It heats up your teeth, which dries them out, which makes your teeth lighter. Lighter until your teeth re-hydrate, which takes a couple of days, then the "bleaching" fades. No good.

So what are your other options. I tell my patients they have three options:

1) Over-the-counter whiteners like Crest WhiteStrips. These are ok, but they are also one size fits all, so the same gel that bleaches your teeth also bleaches your gums, which leads to increased sensitivity. Plus, the strips generally are only long enough to bleach your front six teeth, and most people smile bigger that that. BTW- do not waste your money on whitening gums, toothpastes, and mouthwashes. Basically, these are crap.

2) In-office Bleaching (Zoom or Britesmile). This is actually similar to the kiosk, but it is used with gels that only dentist can purchase and apply. Also, there is no mouthguard so it is more comfortable. There is a lot of debate whether the light used with it actually does anything, but we use it anyway. I like this much better than #1, because it does work, but there are a couple negatives to this as well. It is the most expensive (in our office it is $450), there are dietary and other restrictions for the first 24-48 hours (no lipstick), and you still use custom trays to get the best results possible. To me, this is best for people too busy to use custom trays or for those with something big coming up quickly, like a wedding or anywhere pictures will be taken.

3) Custom Trays used at home. To me, this is the best. Your dentist makes you thin, custom trays that hold the gel against your teeth either for an hour or overnight. You do this for a week or two and your teeth get lighter. It's comfortable, effective, and costs less than the Zoom (in our office it is $250). So, save yourself $200 and do it the way I have bleached my teeth and most everyone in my family's.

One caveat... bleaching does not work on tetracycline-stained teeth (a grey and yellow banding on teeth caused by antibiotics taken as a baby) or on existing dental work. It won't make it worse, but don't expect these teeth or areas of teeth to get any lighter.

So, I hope this info helps. Feel free to post other questions or contact me directly.

Dr. P