In December 2020 I finally did something I’ve been contemplating doing for years. I decided to get my teeth straightened back out, after years without wearing a retainer. I had braces in 4th grade and got them taken off 2.5 years later in 6th grade, but my orthodontist gave me clear retainers rather than a permanent retainer. I wasn’t quite responsible enough to have those, and here I am nearly 20 years later getting them fixed! This time, I decided to go the Invisalign route, rather than braces. I figured with COVID-19 cancelling all of our trade shows, meaning I wouldn’t be in front of a camera or having important meetings face-to-face, it was time.
At my last orthodontist appointment, I requested that we speed up the rotation of my trays so that I could get them off before elk season this year. The idea of having to brush and floss after every mountain snack or meal is really annoying, which is one of the cons to Invisalign. See all pros and cons here. He said we could go from 14 day rotations to 10 day rotations, taking my completion date from end of September to mid-late July. YAY!! My wish was granted. With all the excitement, I’m already looking at the best ways to bleach my teeth because every tooth that has the glue on them looks yellow (again, the pros/cons article is linked here) compared to my teeth that didn’t require the little “knobs” that hold the trays on. I recently made an Instagram story post asking my audience what was better - professional teeth whitening or at-home whitening? I was referring to cost, results, timeline, and sensitivity. I never thought that asking for random personal advice would create such awesome feedback, but you guys rock! I was asked to share the results, so I hope this helps. As you can see, the results were fairly close! However, the messages i received were the most helpful.
Professional Bleaching Options
Trays & Whitening Gel: this was by far the most recommended option if you go the professional route because it’s stronger than over-the-counter options without the added sensitivity, it works over time rather than having “quick fix” sessions (see next bullet point), they’ll send you home with a tray and syringe of bleach that you can use at your own pace, and it’s apparently cheaper than whitening strips. I cannot confirm that because I haven’t compared the two options, but I did have one person say she paid $150 for her trays and 12 whitening tubes, and it’s never made her teeth sensitive like some of the at-home options. Obviously those numbers can vary by dental office because they mark the product up, like any retail situation.
In-Office Treatments: I’ll call this the “quick fix” or instant gratification option because it’s honestly the reason I’m considering doing it. I think the most well-known treatment for this is Zoom and the most consistent feedback I get is that it makes your teeth extremely sensitive, especially within the first 48 hours, but it’s extremely effective and you can use Sensodyne toothpaste leading up to the appointment to help with the lack of comfort.
AT-HOME BLEACHING OPTIONS
Crest Whitening Strips: some dental professionals will even recommend this as a good option, depending on who you speak to. I’ve heard multiple times that dental offices overcharge for whitening treatments and that with consistency you can accomplish the same thing with these strips. Most people report sensitivity with the strips; however, I can personally say that if you use Sensodyne toothpaste, it helps a ton! These strips are what I’ve always used, and before I started using Sensodyne it’d feel like fireworks were going off in my mouth from the high sensitivity. I may still go this route because it does work, but I’m seriously considering a professional strength option for when I get my Invisalign taken off to jump start the process.
Lumineaux Strips: this is apparently a more natural option that has proven results. Several of you recommended this.
Charcoal: one person told me to buy activated charcoal capsules and open one up then brush my teeth with it. Apparently you can see results really quickly and it’s an all-around good supplement to keep in your home anyway. This is feedback from someone who actually had Invisalign as well. She even drank coffee when she had hers, so she’d use charcoal once a week to brighten her smile. I personally keep charcoal in my house and use it for stomach issues or when I’m sick (I’ve even used charcoal when I was hung over and it worked really well - don’t judge), so I tried this brushing method once and will continue to use it a few more times and see if I can tell a difference. The first time was hard to tell honestly. On another note, after researching this method, I found this charcoal toothpaste with high ratings, which I’m considering!
Crest Emulsions: lots of other hygienists have said this works amazingly well and is comparable to the Zoom professional whitening. Also, a lot less sensitivity is reported from it.
AP-24 Whitening Toothpaste: it’s scored at a 103 in terms of dentin abrasion, which is slightly higher than Sensodyne toothpaste, but much lower than most leading brands.
FEEDBACK FROM Dental Professionals
This includes dentists, dental assistants, and any other title within a dentist office (that I don’t personally know lol) who has a little more insight to what’s available out there.
From a dentist: “Whitening tooth pastes that actually work, work by being abrasive. Don’t do it. Everyone’s teeth whiten differently, just like everyone tans differently. Some whiten faster than others, and some are more sensitive than others for a multitude of reasons. For professional they have take home whitening gels or you can get in office treatments. You can try crest white strips they are not going to damage your teeth, but do not keep whitening if you have sensitivity it will only get worse. Professional grade gels tend to whiten as well if not better and tend to also be better about not causing as much sensitivity. P.S. Those whitening kits with the little blue lights. Yes those blue lights increase the whitening BUT it is clinically insignificant (meaning you can’t see the difference with your naked eye, between who used the light and who didn’t). We mostly use the blue lights in office to keep you from moving and keeping the gel on your teeth. To anyone who is actually educated on the matter, you look silly with the little blue light hanging out of your mouth. If you decide to go with a professional in-office whitening treatment, find an office that offer Kor whitening, it is the best of the best.”
From someone who used to work at a dental office: “They used Opalescence for whitening. It would cost people $400+ but you can go on Amazon and order the prefilled trays for $75 or order your own trays, mold them yourself, and order the whitening syringes of Opalescence for $35 all together. One syringe whitener will last awhile because you just use a little dab all around the tray.”
From a dental professional: “We make whitening trays and sell bleach but I didn’t even use them for my wedding. I personally have had the best luck with the Crest Pro Whitening Strips. While using them, switch over to Sensodyne toothpaste, they have lots of options to use. I used their whitening toothpaste along with those strips and my teeth were so white in just two months! You can just use as you feel necessary. I definitely recommend taking a before photo as well, that way you can see your progress, otherwise you won’t think they are working very well!”
From a dental hygienist: “You’ll get faster results and less sensitivity if you do professional whitening. Sure over-the-counter works, but it takes longer to get the desired shade and causes more sensitivity because the product doesn’t contain a desensitizer. I would definitely recommend using Sensodyne to help with sensitivity but start it 2 weeks before your whitening!”
From a dental professional: “Professional all the way. It’s RX strength, so it’s more concentrated and it will get the job done faster with better results. There can be sensitivity with either. For professional strength, we usually suggest people go to every other day if they experience sensitivity. Or take an Advil beforehand to minimize it. Or (please don’t take this wrong, there just isn’t another way to say), just tough it out until you reach your desired results, knowing the sensitivity is temporary.”
From a dental hygienist: “In-office whitening is typically a 1 time deal! It usually costs more than any take home treatment or OTC. An in-office treatment would be your best bet for sensitivity, you’re only sensitive the 1 day-ish vs doing it at home for consecutive days. Also, ask your dentist about RX sensitivity toothpaste to use before and after any whitening!”
From someone who worked in a dental office for 15 years: “I would recommend finding a professional that offers a take home type of system rather than a one-time sit in the chair type treatment. Your teeth will be less sensitive if you spread out the whitening. They should be able to make custom trays or you may be able to buy the solution separately and use your final Invisalign trays. We offered a system like this and then you could buy the refills to touch up your whitening 6-12 months down the road without having to buy the custom trays again. In the long run it is more cost efficient than purchasing white strips, etc over the counter. The concentration of peroxide is higher than the white strips as well and since the fit is custom there isn’t a whole lot of extra that gets on your gums and can irritate your tissue.”
From someone who used to work at a dentist office and who’s sister is a regional manager at one now: “Professional is going to be best if you’re worried about sensitivity honestly. I wouldn’t recommend Crest White strips.”
From someone who used to work at a dental office: “PolaNight on Amazon! A lot of dental offices carry it and they sell it for $50. Amazon is around $20. You can use it in your last Invisalign tray and use those as whitening trays.”
From someone who currently works at a dentist office: “Whitening from a dental surgery is best. You can get a take-home kit from your dental surgery. They make you trays like your Invisalign trays that you put the bleach in. Dentists can use a strength of bleach that beauty therapists and over-the-counter stuff aren’t able to. Trust me dentist bleaching is best.”
From a dental hygienist: “If you don’t have sensitivity you can get almost the same results with the over-the-counter Crest White Strips. If you have sensitivity I would use a clinical one called Go whitening for a reasonable price, especially if you can find a dental hygiene student to buy it from. If you have increased sensitivity do it a couple of days then skip a couple of days and use a sensitive toothpaste with it. Stay away from the light whitening. It gives you results right away, but short term lasting results with a lot of sensitivity.”
From a dental hygienist: “Go to your dentist’s office. They can make you a tray a lot like the Invisalign but you put whitening gel in. You can use a fluoride rinse to help with sensitivity, but that gel is going to be easier on your teeth than abrasive over-the-counter stuff. They also have disposable trays.”