Many people aspire to have whiter teeth and most of them are willing to spend hundreds of dollars just to get a level of “whiteness” that is close to those worn by glamorous celebrities featured in lifestyle magazines. The popularity of teeth whitening led to the creation of different teeth whitening products that are sold for home-use. Teeth whitening gels are amongst these products.
What are teeth whitening gels?
The consistency of the gel is close to that of toothpaste only that it is not applied on teeth through brushing but rather through dental emulsion to the gel. The gel is placed inside a tray that fits perfectly to teeth. For perfect-fit trays, you will have to pay a dentist to custom-make it for you. Nonetheless, ready-made trays that are sold in many dental clinics and pharmacies also work fine. However, since dental trays that are custom-made can be really costly and ready-made trays sold in pharmacies can be really over-sized, so you might want to try using a sports teeth protector. Sports teeth protectors come in a variety of sizes (and colors) and they only cost about $1 each. Moreover, different bleaching agents of different concentrations make the gel effective for teeth whitening.
When using teeth whitening gels, you have to be very careful about following instructions. Failure to properly follow application instructions might only lead to teeth damage or gum irritations. Some gels have to be mixed with a bleach concentrate so you have to be very careful to add the exact amount of concentrate as given in the instruction. Too much bleach can make your teeth brittle and damage the precious enamel of your tooth in the process. Nevertheless, this should not scare you because most teeth whitening kits are already pre-mixed and are ready to use. The instructions are also very straightforward and simple. Just don’t forget that you should not ingest the gel. Sleeping while the gel is still in your might cause ingestion which can be very harmful for your health.
My Product List
So far, I have only encountered one made by Idol (brand). Being first in the list does not mean that I find this product the most effective, but surely, this product is the most convenient to use. It is shaped and sized like a regular marking pen that excretes whitening gel instead of ink. The gel is applied directly on the teeth surface as per instruction. The product makers claim that the pen can actually provide long-lasting results, but you can try it yourself. Idol offers two free pen tubes as trial so you can try the product without having to pay a cent (you just have to shoulder the shipping expenses).
2. Power White Gel Dispensers by Watts
This product is getting the most attention these days, especially to online shoppers. The product is available for sale in Amazon.Com so it is so easy to get hold of this product. The whitening gel is dispensed through an injection tube with a teeth applicator tip. The product is a little costly but the cost is overshadowed by the many good reviews you can read about it. The gel has to be applied three times for three consecutive days and you will see very visible results. After that, all that you have to do is to apply it once in a month for maintenance. The products cost around $15-$35 per kit.
3. Opalescence Gel
In Amazon.Com, this product costs about $15 and it is as effective as the one made by Watts only that it takes more time and more applications before you can get satisfactory results from this product. The gel comes in different concentrations and each concentration differs in the length of time that it has to remain on the teeth. Low concentration Opalescence gel might require at most 12 hours before it can be removed from the teeth, high concentration ones might take about an hour or two only. However, the higher the concentration of the gel is, the more pronounced the burning sensation that the user will feel in his or her mouth.
4. Plus White Gel
The package claims that it takes only about five minutes to give you visible results. I haven’t really tried this product but it is receiving good reviews so far. Plus white gel costs only about $9 per tube and each tube can last up to three uses. According to its product reviews, the gel is made from a very high concentration of whitening bleach that gum exposure to the gel can lead to at least three days of gum reddening and irritation. The use of the product might be difficult for some because you have to isolate the entirety of your gums and mouth area from the gel, but since it only takes about five minutes, then it is worth the time. The tray used for the application of this product may be bought separately or custom-made by a dentist.
