A home whitening kit is a more practical way to lighten your teeth since it does not only save you time from going back and forth to the dentist but also allows you to apply it in your free time. Having pearly white teeth looks attractive and makes you look clean. Everyone wants to have those pearly whites, but teeth discoloration is mostly inevitable because of what we eat, drink, and the oral habits we follow. For this, a home whitening kit is the best solution for it is customized, especially for your teeth’s needs.
What is Home Whitening Kit?
A home whitening kit is composed of a tray and a bleaching gel. A tray resembles a night guard and is made to fit perfectly on the patient’s teeth. This is worn for the whitening gel to be concentrated on the teeth. As compared to over the counter teeth whitening treatments, a home whitening kit is much more effective because the dentist has specifically made its formulation and concentration for the patient’s specific needs. The whitening products that are usually used for the bleaching gel in the kit are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. Only licensed dentists are legally allowed to prescribe these substances for teeth whitening, especially in high dosages.
Teeth whitening treatments are not compulsory and are not a necessity for healthy teeth. It is merely optional and depends solely on the person if he or she wants to have this treatment. However, there may be instances when teeth whitening is recommended, especially if your teeth have severe discoloration due to smoking, coffee, tea, and excessive fluoride. But, as much as possible, you should not undergo any teeth whitening if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have sensitive teeth, have gum disease, or exposed tooth roots. It is always best to consult your dentist if you need a teeth whitening treatment.
Home Whitening Kit in South Korea
In Korea, there are three usual treatments to whiten the teeth, namely, veneers, laser whitening, and the home whitening kit. Koreans are not only updated when it comes to plastic surgery procedures and innovations, but they also give focus on the health and appearance of the teeth because it completes the ideal beauty. Home whitening kit in South Korea is customized for every individual depending on how much teeth whitening the person needs. There are also medical tourism providers like Seoul Guide Medical who help locals and foreigners find the best clinic and dentist for their dental needs.
Home Whitening Kit vs. Cool Laser Light
Home whitening kit and cool laser light are both effective teeth whitening treatments that are dentist-supervised. They differ in the duration of result delivery as well as how the procedure is done. Cool laser whitens the teeth by activating the gel that was placed on the patient’s teeth. It has instant results that can last for 3-24 months.
On the other hand, a home whitening kit uses a mouthpiece where you place the gel before wearing it on your teeth for four hours or overnight. Results are visible after four weeks. This treatment is usually considered as post-laser treatment maintenance, which you can use to enhance the whitening or whiten the teeth whenever it starts to get discolored again. How the results last for both treatments are dependent on how you take care of your teeth, what you eat, and your everyday habits.
Home Whitening Kit procedures
Home whitening kits that are dentist-supervised are highly customized from the mouthpiece tray to the concentration of the bleaching agent. The kit is meant to be used for 1-2 hours or overnight every day for four weeks. The number of weeks may be lesser or more depending on the degree of stain and discoloration, as well as the desired level of whitening that you want to achieve. The following are the steps for a home whitening kit:
- The dentist will first take an impression of your teeth (above and below). This will then serve as a guide for the creation of your customized mouthpiece tray.
- Once they have taken the impression, it will be sent to the dental laboratory for the creation of the tray. If the clinic has its own laboratory, then you can get your whitening kit on the same day. If they do not have their own laboratory, then you will have to wait for a few days.
- When the tray is finished, some dentists let you apply the first application while you are in the clinic so that they can teach you the proper way to do it.
- At home, make sure that you have brushed your teeth before using your home whitening kit.
- Place a small amount of gel on the tray, then place it properly on your teeth.
- Wear it overnight or for 1-4 hours every day for four weeks, or until you achieve desired results.
- When you think the degree of whitening is enough and there is still bleaching gel left, you can keep it in the refrigerator for future use.
Home Whitening Kit before and after
As you can see in the pictures below, there is a significant difference in the patient’s teeth after using the home whitening kit. As compared to before, their teeth have lightened visibly, thus complementing their overall appearance. Having whiter teeth also shows that they appear to have healthy oral health.
Home whitening kits use peroxides as the bleaching agent for teeth whitening. Together with the mouthpiece tray, both are customized according to what would be the most effective in whitening the patient’s teeth. This treatment is considered an excellent post-laser treatment, especially if the teeth become stained after months of undergoing laser teeth whitening. For it to be effective, the kit should be used for 1-4 hours a day or overnight for four weeks following the procedure on the proper application as instructed by your dentist. The results are promising and visible when the whitening kit is diligently used.
If you are someone who is struggling with the discoloration on your teeth or if you want to have a whitening treatment, then a home whitening kit is worth the try. As mentioned before, it is more effective if it is from a dentist and customized based on your teeth’s need. In this regard, for safe and proven as effective home whitening treatment kits, you may contact Oaks Dental Clinic. They have well-known dentists in Korea that have handled whitening treatments for locals and foreigners alike. They are guaranteed to give you the best service that they can offer for you to have teeth that are as white as pearls.
FAQs:
Does A Home Whitening Kit really work?
Home whitening kits are effective when you acquire it from your dentist. This is because only dentists have access to whitening gel brands and manufacturers that are proven safe and effective. Your dentist will also be able to give you the right concentration of peroxides that will effectively whiten your teeth within two weeks or even less. Another factor for the effectivity of home whitening kits is your diligence in following bleaching times during the day or when you sleep.
How many sessions will I need to whiten my teeth?
With at-home whitening kits, you do not have to go back and forth to your dentist to have your teeth whitening session. Through the kit, you can do your teeth whitening at home or even while you sleep at night. It usually takes at most four weeks to see the results, but some are satisfied with the results in just a week or a couple of days. A good thing about the home whitening kit is that you can store the whitening gel in the refrigerator if there are some left after it has achieved your desired results. You can use it for another “teeth whitening session” if you think that your teeth have gone darker again.
What must I not do after a whitening treatment?
There are several things you should avoid to prevent your whitened teeth from staining again. If you are smoking, it should be the top priority in your list of things to avoid since tobacco stains and discolors teeth faster than any other food or beverage. You should also avoid coffee as well as acidic and sugary drinks. Instead, you have to make sure to brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and visit your dentist for regular cleaning.