Over-the-counter teeth whitening trays are mostly limited to Aquafresh White Trays. The gel that comes in this product contains ten percent hydrogen peroxide.
In-office whitening gels can contain a higher percentage of hydrogen peroxide than their over-the-counter counterparts. In-office whitening trays are often given to the patient after a teeth whitening procedure (generally a laser teeth whitening procedure), and the patients are generally instructed to use them at home for a number of days to complete the whitening treatment.
Whitening trays have advantages over other teeth whitening products.
Whitening trays are better than whitening toothpastes, because the toothpastes do not contain the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide, but instead contain only abrasive materials which are less effective.
Whitening mouthwashes fail in comparison to whitening trays as well, because they only expose the teeth to the hydrogen peroxide for a minute or less, while the trays hold it for a longer period, usually twenty minutes.
Whitening strips also have their weaknesses when compared to whitening trays. The strips cannot get in between the teeth into the grooves, since they lay on top of the teeth. However, the whitening trays do.
Unfortunately, whitening trays come with their share of problems, too. Since they are filled with a gel, the placement of the product is more difficult to control. It is easy to have some of the gel get spilled into the mouth in unwanted areas, and it is easy to touch the gel to the gums.
This will cause a bad taste to get into the mouth, and worse, burning of the surrounding tissue in the mouth. This can lead to tooth and gum sensitivity; however, this sensitivity usually subsides within twenty four to forty eight hours.
Whitening trays do definitely whiten the teeth well. They do not have the “zebra” effect that the strips do, because they get into the grooves in between the teeth. Whitening trays are the most thorough in this sense, second only to laser teeth whitening. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend them due to the difficulty in controlling where the hydrogen peroxide goes. Even though the product works well, it does not justify causing damage to the mouth.
Cody Scholberg, a recognized expert on ways to whiten your teeth, writes about the different ways to whiten your teeth, such as in-office teeth whitening.
