{"id":469,"date":"2023-03-04T17:07:31","date_gmt":"2023-03-04T17:07:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/blog\/?p=469"},"modified":"2023-04-18T17:10:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T17:10:35","slug":"the-truth-about-over-the-counter-whitening-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/blog\/the-truth-about-over-the-counter-whitening-products\/","title":{"rendered":"The Truth About Over-the-Counter Whitening Products"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-300x200.png\" alt=\"a cartoon image representing teeth whitening\" class=\"wp-image-470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/image.png 975w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Are you currently unhappy with the shade of your smile? Many patients these days suffer from stained or discolored teeth, which has led to a saturation of over-the-counter whitening products that are widely available. But the fact of the matter is, most of these store-bought options can\u2019t deliver what they promise on their packaging, and your cosmetic dentist remains the best possible solution for enhancing the brightness of your smile and attracting the attention of those around you! Keep reading to learn more about how some of these store-bought products fall short and why professional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/teeth-whitening.html\">teeth whitening treatment<\/a> is your best bet for noticeably whiter teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Over-the-Counter Whitening Products Don\u2019t Live Up to the Hype<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While there is a vast assortment of products on the open market that are intended to whiten teeth, very rarely are they capable of doing what you\u2019d like them to do! Here are some examples of store-bought whitening products that don\u2019t live up to their hype and can leave your smile lacking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Whitening toothpaste<\/strong> \u2013 These kinds of toothpaste are considered the most effective among at-home options, but they still fall short of what your dentist can accomplish. You can choose one with clinically confirmed effectiveness, but keep in mind that it likely won\u2019t have the same lasting effect compared to what your dentist utilizes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Whitening strips<\/strong> \u2013 While these items do use similar components as professional systems, they\u2019re often diluted\/at much lower concentrations. These products also have the potential to cause mouth sores or hypersensitivity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Natural whitening remedies<\/strong> \u2013 If you\u2019ve heard that you can effectively whiten your smile with at-home remedies such as lemon juice or activated charcoal, think again! These methods can cause acid erosion or enamel abrasion and are simply not worth it, despite what TikTok or Facebook might tell you!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hydrogen peroxide<\/strong> \u2013 It\u2019s advised that you never rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide, as the chemical can harm your soft oral tissues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Professional Teeth Whitening Is the Best Answer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even though the price of professional teeth whitening is generally greater than store-bought solutions, this higher cost is directly reflected in the results. Many dentists offer both in-office whitening and at-home whitening kits, both of which are completely safe and fully capable of providing spectacular results that store-bought products simply can\u2019t match. You also won\u2019t have to deal with the hassle of buying and testing various products, the lack of professional supervision, or the possibility of experiencing unimpressive or potentially worsened results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All in all, professional whitening is the clear-cut and better choice compared to over-the-counter whitening products, so if you\u2019re ready to enhance the brightness of your smile, don\u2019t hesitate to give your dentist a call today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Christine D. Laster has proudly served the dental needs of the Raleigh, NC area for several years! She completed her dental degree at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Dentistry and has spent countless hours seeking continuing education to further hone the level of care she\u2019s able to provide. If you have any questions about the article or would like to schedule a visit with Dr. Laster, you can contact her practice\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.connectiondentistryraleigh.com\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a> or give them a call for further assistance: <strong>(919) 561-6393.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you currently unhappy with the shade of your smile? Many patients these days suffer from stained or discolored teeth, which has led to a saturation of over-the-counter whitening products that are widely available. But the fact of the matter is, most of these store-bought options can\u2019t deliver what they promise on their packaging, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Truth About Over-The-Counter Whitening | Dr. Christine Laster<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you\u2019re thinking about picking up some store-bought whitening products, here\u2019s why you should consider trusting your dentist instead.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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