It has to be said that the teeth whitening process is in general are not appropriate for everybody. It is always worth consulting your dentist before embarking on any course of treatment. Your dentist will be able to clarify which of the many options you are able to choose from. Some of them may not be effective in your particular situation.

The question that people face is, does the perceived added safety of a professional procedure by a dentist, justify the extra cost involved. Will the home teeth whitening product be safe and will it be as effective to use? Is it easy to follow the instructions and if you do, are there any possible side effects? What are the pros and cons?

To provide a safe over the counter product, the teeth gel is of a lower concentration than you would get from a dentist. So how good are the results, how quick and how long lasting? But there are still people who questions this.

Do unscrupulous companies use a more concentrated bleaching agent than they claim, so that their gel will work? It is even implieded that abrasive substances are added that could harm the tooth enamel. I think that neither of these theories can be believed. As long as buy properly licensed products you should have no problems. The penalties for such practices, from major fines and lawsuits, to withdrawal of the product license, would be too costly to contemplate.

Quality manufactures do thorough tests before releasing their products to the public. Some quick research on their websites will bring up the results of these trials, and just to be sure, you can follow the links back to the source documents. It would be similarly costly to their bottom line and their reputation, to make claims that they cannot back up with solid evidence.

These treatments normally involve placing a gel containing tray over your teeth for up to an hour. While this may not be too uncomfortable, it is an inconvenience and you are not likely to exceed the recommended time to any great extent. Some products are intended for overnight use and companies boast of how long their gel stays active, compared to lesser rivals.

It is more likely that you will still be wearing the device when it has become ineffective, than that you will suffer any ill effects on your teeth from over use. I think we can safely say that these products can be regarded as safe. The other question is, can you get the same benefits that you would from a couple of visits to the dentist.

Here again, it is very unwise for companies to make claims without evidence. After all, if these products were ineffective, there are millions of users who would be letting them know. So how good are the results, how quick and how long do they last?  After two visits to your dentist, you can walk out with your new, sparkling smile. And with the right aftercare, it can last for as long as 15 years, but it could be as short as 5.

Some of the home teeth gel treatments claim a noticeable difference after only one hour and that with repeated treatments that you can reach the same levels on the dental comparison charts that you would get from professional whitening. And they can be just as long lasting. So, are they a cost effective alternative?

As I said at the start, it is worth consulting your dentist, but home whitening is definitely worth a shot. And of course, as well as over the counter products, your dentist can supply you with a customised solution.