Brighten Your Smile--at Home
Steven Pepper thought his teeth looked straight enough but not quite bright enough. So the 35-year-old Van Nuys public relations consultant decided to bleach them at home. Following the directions of his dentist, Pepper inserted a peroxide-based gel into a custom-made mouth guard and wore it two hours a day.
The device wasn’t much trouble. “I could even talk with it in,” Pepper said. And the benefits, though modest, he said, made the effort worthwhile. After two weeks, he noticed a “moderate but not dramatic change” in the color of his teeth. “They are definitely not pure white,” he said, “but I see enough of a change that I am happy.”
Home tooth-bleaching has grown into a big business in recent months, with at least a dozen companies offering the special smile-brightening kits. Some, such as the one Pepper used, involve putting gel into a device similar to an athlete’s mouth guard. Other kits use brush-on bleaching agents. Consumers can obtain the kits from dentists, pharmacists or manufacturers, by mail or phone order. All brands promise a brighter, whiter smile--for a price, of course. One phone-order kit, using the brush-on method, sells for $49.95. Dentists charge from $250 to $500 to lighten the upper or lower teeth, with some of the fee going toward the customized mouth guard.
Some patients lighten upper teeth only, because they are more visible when smiling or talking. To keep teeth bright, some dentists recommend maintenance treatments every few weeks.
But the American Dental Assn. is not as enthusiastic as some patients and manufacturers. “Be cautious,” warned Philip Weintraub, association spokesman. “Peroxide can temporarily damage soft tissue in your mouth. Continued use (after gum damage) can delay healing. If you have a pre-existing condition, such as gum disease or a deep cavity, you can be setting yourself up for even greater problems. If you are going to use these kits, have a thorough oral exam first.”
Dentists and manufacturers agree that do-it-yourself bleaching isn’t for everyone. “It’s great stuff for some people,” said Steven Goldy, a Beverly Hills dentist who prescribed the kit for Pepper. “It works best on age-related tooth darkening.” Patients with gum disease, braces, decayed teeth, canker sores or other medical conditions should avoid home bleaching, dentists and manufacturers agree.
Even patients who are judged good candidates should not expect dramatic results. At best, say dentists, the bleach will lighten teeth one to three shades. The bleach does not lighten crowns. Possible side effects include tooth decalcification and inflamed gums.
A final caveat from the ADA: Patients who bleach their teeth should do so under “the close scrutiny of a dentist.”
