A professional dental whitening system is very costly and with many of the treatments requiring more than one visit to the dentist, the whole treatment can often cost in excess of $1,000. This is why a lot of people are choosing a home teeth whitening product, such as Crest White Strips or a similar kit, which will lighten the color of the teeth.

If you are interested in how these products work, then read on and you will realize that in very many cases there is no need to visit a cosmetic dentist in order to keep a nice white smile.

Once upon a time, the dental whitening system worked through the use of a plastic tray and bleaching gel. The contraption was molded to each individual's mouth and the tray, after filling it with the special whitening gel, was left in overnight. Unfortunately, the gel lost its effectiveness after a few hours and there was also irritation to the gums and throat from the substance being in the mouth for such a prolonged period of time.

Crest White Strips have eliminated the need for such burdensome apparatus and having to leave the bleach on throughout the night. The strips are placed on the teeth and left there for between fifteen and twenty minutes twice a day.

Some of the new types of whitening strips are applied only at night. The reason is that most people, after brushing their teeth at night, do not eat or drink anything until they wake up in the morning, therefore leaving the whitening agent on the tooth surface longer.

Teeth whitening kits also are produced in generic versions such as Equate found at Wal-Mart. Truth be told, they can be just as effective as their brand name counterparts. If you are unsure if a generic teeth whitening kit is of the same quality as a brand name, then take a look at the ingredients list. Chances are the active ingredients are the same for both brand and generic and you may actually save a few extra dollars with the generic kit.

If you have previously had problems with the enamel on your teeth, a dental whitening system is probably not suitable for you. The gel has been known to cause sensitivity and pain and in some cases allergic reactions may occur as a result of using this kind of gel.

The majority of adults do not have problems with using the whitening kits and you may not either. You can always talk with your dentist about a tooth whitening product that he or she recommends based on your dental history.

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