Teeth Whitening: What Works Best and How Long It Lasts

When it comes to whitening your teeth, there are several products to try.  You can buy products to use at home, or you can try a more customized option.

In-Office Options

• At Plano Family Dental, Dr. Joseph and Dr. Schell recommend professionally made whitening trays.
  • Results in more even whitening.  The trays you use are custom fit to your teeth and hold the whitening gel in place right where it’s needed.  
  • Our dentists prefer this method over other in-office options because patients have less sensitivity and aching afterward.
  • Once you get to the shade you like, whitening with trays lasts a few months to years.  This all depends on how much staining comes from what you eat and drink.

At-Home Options

• Whitening strips: These are a generic fit, which can miss spots on some patients if it doesn’t come in contact with the tooth.  Some patients have good results with this method though.  If you produce more saliva, the strips can have a hard time staying in place.  The shade of whitening can last 1 week to around 1 month depending on what you eat and drink.
• Whitening gel: This is a paint on sticky substance that stays on your teeth for about 30 minutes.  There can be uneven whitening if the gel isn’t spread on some areas, but patients usually have good results.  This option isn’t affected by increased saliva because it’s sticky enough to stay in place.  The whitening effect of this method also lasts a few weeks to a couple months.
• Whitening toothpastes: These are for recent stains.  It will prevent your tooth from getting more stains than it already has.  Whitening toothpastes cannot help with deep, set-in stains, but are good with mild staining.  With consistent use you can notice a difference in 4-6 weeks.  Whitening with toothpastes can last for several days depending on what you eat and drink.  

At Plano Family Dental, we’re dedicated to helping you maintain your dental implants and enjoy a healthy, confident smile. If you have any questions or need to schedule a cleaning or check-up, schedule an appointment online or call us at (972) 867-5090. We’re here to support your oral health every step of the way.