Tray-based teeth whitening using carbamide peroxide whitener.

How long should the teeth whitening process be continued?

One problem with the availability of over-the-counter teeth whitening products is that they allow a means by which the expertise of a dentist is easily removed from the whitening equation. Historically, since the teeth whitener was dispensed to the patient by the dentist, the dentist had great control in deciding whether it seemed reasonable to continue on with the whitening process or else a point had been reached when it should be terminated.

Of course as we have mentioned elsewhere on our pages, there is no reason your dentist can't be involved with your over-the-counter product whitening efforts. Your dentist is your dental advisor and they are a valuable source of information. You should always feel free to seek their opinion, on the topic of teeth whitening or any other dental related topic.

Short of seeking your dentist's opinion, an answer regarding the length of time to use an over-the-counter teeth whitening product lies within its instructions. The company that has made your product has evaluated it both from a standpoint of effectiveness and safety. They have incorporated their findings into their product's instructions. You need to comply with these instructions. Of course if your teeth whitening efforts have already achieved the degree of whitening you desire, then there is no reason why you cannot terminate your bleaching treatments at any point.

Should the teeth whitening process be repeated?

If using the contents of one over-the-counter teeth bleaching kit does not provide the results you wanted should another kit be purchased and the length of treatment be extended? Here are some solutions we would offer when trying to answer this question:

» Ask your dentist.

Your dentist can be an excellent source of information. They will have a familiarity with teeth bleaching techniques in general and possibly even specific knowledge about the over-the-counter whitener that you have purchased. If enough product information is available to them they can likely make a recommendation about the safety and prudence of extending the duration of treatment.

» What do the instructions for the product you have purchased state?

The manufacturer of the whitening product you have bought will provide instructions related to their investigation into the effectiveness and safety of their whitener. What do these instructions state? Do they specifically recommend buying another bleaching kit and extending the whitening process?

» Keep in mind the intended use of over-the-counter products.

It would be our advice to you to that you should keep in mind what the intended purpose of an over-the-counter products is. Related to the unsupervised nature of the use of these types of systems, the best over-the-counter products are designed to provide for those with little expertise or experience a reasonable solution for a problem without placing the user at undue risk for complications and side effects.
      Just as the use of over the over-the-counter pain relievers might provide a solution for some minor aches and discomfort, a person with daily problems associated with arthritis would need to turn to the advice of a physician for more appropriate solutions. Clearly a person's unilateral decision to take ever-increasing doses of certain types of over-the-counter analgesics for an extended time frame could lead to serious complications.
      An equivalent train of thought needs to be applied in the use of teeth whitening products. Our opinion would be that it would be appropriate to use a well-selected over-the-counter product (per its instructions) to see what benefits it can provide. If the end results are not what you desired then you should seek the advice of an expert, your dentist, and see what solutions, or even other alternatives, they have to offer.

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