COST OF TEETH WHITENING
It is said that a great first impression begins with a terrific smile. These days most people believe in that adage and want to achieve beautiful, white teeth. The cost of obtaining that goal varies based on the method being used. There are remedies that can be done at home without the aid of a dentist, special take-home dental kits received from an oral care provider, as well as procedures for teeth whitening received at the dental office. The treatment cost of teeth whitening ranges from the laughably cheap to the pretty pricey. Keep in mind that each method contains a particular amount of bleaching ability, some are less effective and others more so. As in all things you might just get what you pay for.
Let’s start off with the cost of do-it-yourself teeth whiteners. There are whitening toothpastes that cost under ten dollars that are an everyday way to keep teeth whiter and keep stains under control. For an even cheaper option look in the bathroom or kitchen cabinet and there is probably baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. These two common household items can be very effective teeth whiteners. Baking soda rings in at under a dollar and hydrogen peroxide would run about $3 a bottle. Using baking soda as a toothpaste and hydrogen peroxide as a mouth rinse would be an economical choice for teeth whitening. The downside of this cash saver is that because they are gentle cleaning agents they will take longer to remove tough stains and discoloration than would the stronger, more expensive means.
Another way to spend less on teeth whiteners that can be done at home is to try teeth whitening strips. For these the prices range from the generic brands at about $10 to the name brands for about a $150. A good median exists though, a lot of nationally trusted toothpaste companies provide their version for around $30. When choosing the strips, remember that they clean only the front of the tooth and can take anywhere from 5 minutes to a half an hour to do the job. Also, they are most effective when use daily and leaving them on too long can result in sensitive teeth.
If it’s a professional teeth whitening option that’s wanted there are a few choices in the upper reaches of the price range. The dental take-home kit comes custom fitted to the patient’s teeth with a gum protection ability and is highly concentrated to remove stubborn stains. This way of whitening costs up to $400. An in office teeth whitening from a dentist can be in the ballpark of $650 to $800+. A reason to opt for this procedure though is that the dentist has more control of the whitening solution and therefore can most effectively remove the unwanted blot. If all else fails and the tooth discoloration is too much to bear there is always the most costly method of all: dental veneers. Although not for everyone, they give the perfect dazzling smile for $900 to $2500 per tooth.
There are many factors to remember when thinking about the cost of teeth whitening. Most of these methods will have to be done multiple times and sometimes in conjunction with one another. There are different reasons that teeth become stained or discolored including heredity and the various foods and habits we engage in. The most cost effective way to achieve whiter teeth is to keep up a daily cleaning regimen. So go ahead and smile, whether it costs a little or a lot it is worth it in the end.