At-Home Teeth Whitening

There are many methods to whiten teeth at home: bleaching strips, bleaching pen, bleaching gel, and natural bleaching. At Bruce Dietman Family Dentistry, when at-home whitening is prescribed, it is with bleaching gel which is applied to the teeth using thin guard trays.

The oxidizing agents in the gel penetrates the enamel and oxidizes stain deposits; over a period of time, the dentin layer, lying underneath the enamel, is also bleached.

The effects of bleaching can last for several months, but may vary depending on the lifestyle of the patient. Factors which will decrease whitening include smoking and the ingestion of dark colored liquids like coffee, tea and red wine.