They say you’re never fully dressed without a smile! With summer around the corner, we all want to be looking our best and the same goes for our teeth! There are so many products out there on the market claiming amazing whitening results at home. So, with the help of dentist, Dr Jeanie Luong and two Cityline producers, we put 3 popular teeth whitening products to the test!
*First off, I do want to say that we are reporting our own experience with these products – of course user experience may vary.*
Our testers rated 3 products between 3 categories: Ease of Use, Comfort/Sensitivity, and Results.
Ease of Use: ★★★★★ (5/5) – Easy to put together
Comfort/Sensitivity: ★★★☆ (3.5/5) – Jaw gets tired and saliva builds up quickly. But no sensitivity!
Results: ★★★★ (4/5) – Budget friendly at-home alternative
Ease of Use: ★★★★★ (5/5) – Really straight forward application
Comfort/Sensitivity: ★ (1/5) – Noticeable sensitivity to hot and cold drinks
Results:★★★☆ (3.5/5) – Whiter teeth!
Ease of Use: ★★★★★ (5/5) – Just put it on your teeth like a pen!
Comfort/Sensitivity:★★★★☆(4.5/5) – Slight sensitivity noticed
Results:★★☆ (2.5/5) – 7 days later and only a little bit lighter ☹︎
*WINNER OVERALL*
We rated the Purean system as best overall because it produced the whitest results with the least amount of sensitivity. The LED light acts as a catalyst to speed up the process. It also has carbamide peroxide, which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and this is the active ingredient that whitens teeth.
The Crest strips was rated higher in terms of whiteness but it did seem to cause more discomfort after. The pen didn’t have the right active ingredients to give a whiter result.
Sensitivity broken down:
The reason you experience sensitivity after any whitening procedure is because the process of breaking down stains in your teeth can temporarily cause your teeth to become more porous which result in sensitivity. This usually goes away after treatment stops. People who have thinner enamel can experience more sensitivity than others. During professional in office treatments, we use a higher concentration to get the best results, and have strategies to minimize sensitivity, like applying fluoride or vitamin E after treatment. If the cost of in office whitening is out of your budget, an LED system like Purean is worth checking out.
April is Oral health month! This is a great time for people to take stock of their dental routine to make sure you are taking care of your oral Heath! During the last year, I’ve definitely noticed some dental trends happening in my clinic, impacted by COVID-19: people are snacking more, and report being more stressed and are grinding/breaking their teeth. Some tips to make sure to optimize your oral health are:
- Make sure you are brushing twice a day and floss! With people working from home it’s easy to fall off your routine, but it is really important you are removing the harmful plaque and bacteria that causes dental disease.
- Try to stock your fridge with healthy foods. People are snacking a lot more at home, so if you have healthier options to choose from your teeth and gums will benefit.
- If you think you might be grinding your teeth, visit your dentist to find out if you are a candidate for a night guard. This will protect your teeth from more damage. If you can’t tolerate a night guard, there are novel treatments like Botox that has shown to reduce muscle activity and can help with tension headaches too.
