Teeth Whitening or Teeth Bleaching

Is there a difference?

There are plenty of products that promote themselves as teeth whitening or teeth bleaching but is there any difference between the two, and if so what exactly is it? It is important to understand the distinction when you are assessing your own goals when it comes to the cosmetic appearance of your teeth.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) define bleaching as any product which whitens teeth beyond their natural color. So when you are looking at products which contain ingredients such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide they are in fact teeth bleaching items. It is important to note that both carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are completely safe to users in the quantities provided by teeth bleaching products.

The most common form of teeth bleaching comes in a gel form. You simply add the gel into a tray and insert the tray into your mouth (over your teeth) for a certain period of time and after regular use you will have dazzling white teeth. This is also the method the vast majority of cosmetic dentists use, along with a laser or activation light for instant results.

Teeth whitening refers to cleaning germs, dirt and debris from the teeth and restoring them to their natural color. This is most definitely the case with whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes. Don’t expect to have gleaming set of teeth after use, but they should keep your teeth a shade or two white than they would be otherwise.

Despite this clear difference most teeth bleaching products actually refer to themselves as teeth whitening, probably because teeth whitening sounds like a much more positive process. So keep this in mind when purchasing any product designed to whiten or bleach your teeth so you know exactly what you are getting for your money.