With so many options for teeth whitening on the market these days it seems an important question: is teeth whitening safe? While there are so many treatment options ranging from over the counter and online to in office professional whitening all teeth whitening can be safe and a great nonsurgical option for anti- aging. Plus, who doesn’t want a radiant white smile!

One of the main differences between professional in office whitening, which we at Xpress whitening pride ourselves on, is 2 important gingival protections which can not be achieved with at home products. Our soft tissue areas, our lips and gums, when exposed to hydrogen peroxide can get chemical burns which can take up to 2 weeks to heal when bad enough. Using proper retractors to protect the lips and, also aids in jaw comfort while staying open during treatment and also a very important gingival barrier which is applied at the base of the tooth allows a professional grade hydrogen perioxide to be used without burns.

Another reason people have the misconception of teeth whitening being safe is the risk for teeth sensitivity. Because our teeth have pores called tubules, it gives the teeth the ability to allow the hydrogen peroxide to enter the teeth, oxidize, and cause the stain ions that cause our teeth to appear “yellow” break apart. During this process though our teeth are becoming dehydrated no matter what percentage is used. Professional in office teeth whitening, like the process done at Xpress Whitening, uses a much higher percentage which leads to quicker results in just one sitting eliminating the need for several days or even weeks of lower percentage of bleach which leads to longer periods of dehydration.

Overall, teeth whitening can be a very safe, effective way to enhance your beauty with very little risks. With anything though, following a recommended regimen is the safest way. In office whitening can be performed every 4 weeks until the desired white shade is achieved and then can be done 1-4 times a year to maintain that color.