Affordable Teeth Whitening: Comparing Dentist vs Home Kits
Teeth whitening can feel like such an expensive venture, but did you know there are ways around this? For instance, you can try affordable teeth whitening home kits! These kits are always accessible, usually easy to use, and definitely cheaper than in-office teeth whitening sessions.
While dentist appointments for teeth whitening cost an average of $650 per visit, home teeth whitening kits can cost as little as $25 to $100! And if you purchase teeth whitening products from a quality shop like Zimba, you’re also guaranteed to receive items with 100% vegan, natural, and high-quality ingredients.
So, are you ready to reclaim your smile and boost your confidence by having whiter teeth? Let’s talk about affordable teeth whitening options like home kits, explore their different types, and compare them to in-office dentist sessions.
What Are Home Teeth Whitening Kits?
You can guess from its name: teeth whitening kits are products you can comfortably use at home to whiten and brighten your teeth’s appearance. These can come as whitening toothpaste, powders, strips, LED kits, or whitening pens, and they’ll always have easy-to-follow instructions to help you whiten your teeth at home.
Typically, affordable teeth whitening kits feature a whitening gel or solution made from either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent. The bleaching agent will remove stuff that discolors your teeth and give you a brighter smile over time. And depending on your chosen kit, you may or may not need to use a mouthguard, tray, or LED light activator.
Advantages Of Home Teeth Whitening Kits
Home teeth whitening kits will always offer one thing a professional dental whitening session can’t: the comfort and convenience of whitening your teeth at home, any time, and even anywhere you like! Besides that, teeth whitening kits offer three other advantages:
Brighter Smile
Can you imagine getting a brighter, whiter smile for as little as $25? It’s one of the biggest advantages of home teeth whitening kits. They’re great at removing surface stains, and some can even give you whiter teeth in just one use, on-the-go!
If you’re in it for the long game, you can create your own kit by getting everything you’ll need for brighter teeth, like a box of teeth whitening strips, a whitening pen, a desensitizing pen, teeth whitening powder, and a bamboo toothbrush. Basically, you can easily have a whole set of tooth-whitening essentials when you choose to use at-home whitening kits.
Cost-Effective
As you may already know, professional teeth whitening can cost $300 at the very least, $650 on average, and even $1,500 above, depending on your dentist or teeth’s state. But how about home teeth whitening kits? As little as $25 for a set of things and definitely below $100!
If you don’t have specific requirements and are fine with whitening your teeth about four shades lighter or less, home whitening kits are such a cost-effective option! With proper maintenance and if you follow the instructions or suggestions correctly, you can enjoy white teeth for a long time at an affordable price.
Better Oral Health
Did you know that besides whitening your teeth, home kits can also reduce your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues? Most teeth whitening home kits have active ingredients that target and remove plaque and bacteria, the culprits that damage your teeth and gums.
So, if you regularly use teeth whitening kits, your mouth should be clean and free of harmful bacteria, and you’ll enjoy better oral health. You’ll also have teeth that stay brighter and whiter for longer!
Types Of Home Teeth Whitening Kits
As mentioned, home teeth whitening kits don’t come in a one-size-fits-all format. You can choose from whitening toothpaste or powders, whitening strips, LED whitening kits, and whitening pens.
Whitening Toothpaste
Do you want whiter teeth, but you’re not a fan of consistently putting in effort or creating a new routine? If you want a home teeth whitener kit that doesn’t require you to put much effort into your daily brushing routine, consider choosing a whitening toothpaste or whitening powder.
Made with ingredients meant to remove surface stains from teeth, whitening toothpaste or powder is one of the most affordable teeth whitening options! They contain mild abrasives and chemicals or polishing agents that remove plaque and surface stains from teeth. Of course, their result won’t be as dramatic as other whitening options, but they work well if you’re patient enough and want to brighten your teeth over time.
Whitening Strips
If you’ve been searching for teeth whitening options, you’ve probably encountered whitening strips a couple of times. These strips are popular among those who want to whiten their teeth at home!
At-home teeth whitening strips are pre-coated with a whitening agent, and they’re meant to adhere to the teeth. The whitening strips’ active ingredient is usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which breaks down the stains on your teeth and whitens them.
You can get whitening strips in different flavors and strengths, and one box of strips often contains seven treatments’ worth of strips. Some brands will need you to apply their strips once a day, while others need you to use them twice a day. You’ll often see the best results after two weeks of whitening strip usage.
Whitening strips usually need to stay on your teeth for 30 minutes, and then you can remove the strips and rinse. Some users may experience slight sensitivity after using the strips, but this is often temporary and will go away after a few days.
The results you can get from whitening strips can vary, but you’ll often see a noticeable shade difference in a few weeks. You should know that the effects of whitening strips aren’t permanent, though, so you’ll need to use them regularly to maintain your desired results.
LED Whitening Kits
If you like the idea of whitening strips but can’t be bothered to spend 30 minutes before rinsing, consider using LED whitening kits. They’re designed for busy people and can give you maximum results in the shortest amount of time.
LED whitening kits have a mouthpiece and LED light, which activates the whitening agent. The LED light breaks the molecules of the whitening agent faster and deeper so that it could penetrate the teeth and whiten them.
These kits are easy to use! The mouthpiece often fits comfortably, and the LED light is easy to operate. To use LED whitening kits, all you have to do is apply whitening gel or strips on your teeth, wear the mouthpiece and connect it to the LED, turn the LED on, and wait for a maximum of 16 minutes.
Basically, you’ll love at-home LED teeth whitening kits if you want fast results. You can easily see results after just one session, and it’s also more affordable than professional teeth whitening treatments. However, you should know that the results are not as long-lasting as professional treatments, so you’ll need to do some maintenance work.
Whitening Pens
So, what if you want an affordable teeth whitening option while you’re on the go? Whitening pens can easily cater to your needs! Whitening pens feature a whitening gel meant to be directly applied to your teeth. The gel has a peroxide-based bleaching agent that breaks down stains and discoloration.
You can easily bring whitening pens anywhere, and you only need to wait for five minutes after application and then you can rinse. Of course, it’s best not to eat or drink for at least 30 minutes after using the gel so it can fully set in your teeth!
Whitening pens can take one to two weeks to give visible results. Zimba offers an on-the-go kit that contains our whitening pen and LED accelerator, best paired with our desensitizing gel pen if you have sensitive teeth. Nothing should get in the way of your path to brighter, whiter teeth!
Dentist Vs Home Teeth Whitening Kits
Still trying to figure out if professional dental teeth whitening services or affordable teeth whitening home kits suit you best? Let’s compare those two to help you decide!
Cost
We’ve mentioned it a lot: professional whitening services from a dentist are significantly more expensive than a home whitening kit. Depending on your teeth and dentist, you can expect to spend anywhere from $300 to $1500 per session. As for teeth whitening kits, you can spend anywhere from $25 to $100 depending on your chosen products.
Whitening toothpaste, powders, or strips are generally the most affordable teeth whitening home kit options. Meanwhile, LED whitening kits and whitening pens are slightly more expensive, but they’re usually more effective and longer lasting.
Effectiveness
Professional dental teeth whitening treatments are more effective than home kits because they use a stronger whitening agent. The whitening agent used in professional treatments can whiten teeth up to eight shades in one session, while home kits only often whiten up to four shades in one session.
Professional treatments can also whiten teeth faster and show more dramatic changes in just one session. Meanwhile, home kits can give less dramatic results compared to a professional teeth whitening session and can take up to 14 days to give the best results.
Then again, the effectiveness of home kits can always be improved by following the instructions carefully and repeating the treatment as necessary.
Safety
You’ll definitely feel safer if you have a dentist whiten your teeth for you! They use professional-grade products and tools, and they’re experts in their field. They can also easily monitor your teeth’s whitening process to make sure they’re whitening your teeth correctly and safely.
That said, home teeth whitening kits are generally considered safe if used according to their instructions. The risk when using home teeth whitening kits often comes from over-whitening or the inability to monitor the teeth’s whitening process, which could end up damaging your teeth. The remedy to this is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and do your own research.
We also recommend checking the products’ packaging. If you’re whitening your teeth using a home kit, always research the company you’re buying it from and check the product’s ingredients or formulation.
Convenience
If you want to have a professional whiten your teeth, you’ll have to set an appointment. On the other hand, you won’t need an appointment when you use a home kit, and you can whiten your teeth at your own pace and convenience.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A Teeth Whitening Option
So, you want to whiten your teeth – but how do you get started? What should you consider when choosing a teeth whitening option? Think about what you need and like: do you want a one-time solution or a long-term approach? Are you willing to deal with your chosen method’s potential side effects, and is it convenient enough to fit your lifestyle?
Of course, you should also consider the cost of teeth whitening. Professional teeth whitening from a dentist is more expensive than using a home kit. It might be worth the price if you want a fast and long-lasting result. Then again, if you’re alright with a gradual but more affordable method of whitening your teeth, home kits will do.
Which Is The Best Method For You?
Ultimately, you’re the only one who can decide which teeth whitening method works best for you. So, always consider the cost, effectiveness, safety, and convenience of each option! Weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each method so you can figure out what you want.
Alternatively, you can try one method after the other to see which fits you. For instance, you can start with a whitening toothpaste or powder. And if that doesn’t work, you can move on to using whitening strips or LED accelerators and eventually, the dentist.
Shop For The Best And Low-Cost Whitening Products At Zimba Whitening
If you're looking for the best and most affordable way to achieve a brighter, whiter smile, consider shopping for whitening products from Zimba! Zimba offers a wide range of high-quality teeth whitening products that can help you achieve the smile you've always wanted.
More than this, Zimba’s products are designed to be easy to use in the comfort of your home, so you don't have to worry about going to the dentist or spending time and money on professional whitening treatments.
Final Thoughts
Whiter teeth don’t have to be a dream – you can turn it into your reality! By knowing your options and understanding the difference between home teeth whitening kits and professional dental whitening services, you can easily get a brighter smile.
If you liked what you read, check these out, too!
- Get Rid of Teeth Stains with Teeth Whitening Pens
- Beaming with Confidence: The Benefits of LED Light Teeth Whitening
- Teeth Whitening Strips: A Miracle Cure Or Too Good To Be True?
FAQs
How long does teeth whitening last?
Teeth whitening treatments can last anywhere from several months to several years, depending on your type of whitening treatment. Professional whitening treatments provided by a dentist can last up to three years. Meanwhile, at-home treatments with whitening strips and others often last for several months.
How much is 1-hour teeth whitening?
The cost of one-hour teeth whitening depends on where you get the treatment and the type of whitening product used. Generally, professional whitening treatments cost more than at-home treatments. Professional whitening treatments can cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000, while at-home treatments typically cost between $30 and $100.
Is the teeth whitening procedure worth it?
This depends on your individual needs and preferences. If you want a quick, effective way to improve the appearance of your smile, professional whitening treatments may be worth the cost. But if you’re alright with good enough results and considerably whiter teeth at an affordable price, at-home treatments may suit you just fine.
Can a dentist whiten yellow teeth?
A dentist can whiten yellow teeth. Professional whitening treatments are designed to remove deep-set stains and discoloration. However, it is important to note that the results may vary depending on the severity of the discoloration.
Does teeth whitening hurt?
No, teeth whitening does not usually hurt. Professional whitening treatments may cause some sensitivity, but this is usually temporary and should subside within a few days. At-home treatments like whitening strips and toothpaste don’t usually cause any discomfort.