One of the easiest ways to boost your physical appeal is to whiten your teeth. This makes teeth whitening ideal for upcoming social events like weddings. But although professional whitening and over-the-counter whitening do the same thing, professional whitening is much more expensive. This is for good reason. Over-the-counter whitening may be cheaper, but it has many disadvantages.

If the cost of professional teeth whitening has you thinking of turning to over-the-counter whitening, then consider the following benefits offered by professional whitening.

1. Stronger whitening solution

Professional teeth whitening treatments carried out by dentists use a much stronger bleaching solution than over-the-counter whitening options. For instance, dentists may use hydrogen peroxide gel with a concentration of up to 43% for in-office whitening, while at-home whitening trays usually have a concentration of no more than 20%.

The stronger the bleach, the better the results you can achieve.  

2. Faster results

If you need to whiten your teeth quickly, professional teeth whitening treatment is the best option. Because dentists use a stronger bleaching solution to whiten teeth, they can complete the whitening process within about an hour. And when done in-office, dentists often use light technology along with hydrogen peroxide to break down stains quickly.

Over-the-counter whitening methods can take weeks to achieve the shade you need. This means that if you are preparing to go to an upcoming wedding celebration, professional whitening ensures that you can attend with a whiter smile. 

3. More uniform results

The at-home whitening trays you can buy from a store only come in one size. Because of that, they are usually a poor fit. This means the trays might not cover every part of every tooth. As a result, you can end up with uneven whitening.

Professional whitening ensures that all of your teeth receive an equal amount of exposure to the whitening gel. And your dentist will whiten your teeth in short sessions until they achieve a shade that you and your dentist agreed upon before treatment started.

4. Safer treatment

When you whiten your teeth with over-the-counter products, you risk damaging your gums with the whitening solution. Since there is nothing to protect your sensitive gum tissue from the bleach, you could damage them. When you damage gum tissue with whitening bleach, the gums may then recede, leaving the roots of your teeth exposed.

Professional whitening is much safer. Before they whiten your teeth, dentists protect your gums so the whitening bleach can't spill onto them. Dentists can also regulate the time they spend whitening, and the strength of the bleach they use in the whitening process.

5. Longer-lasting results

Over-the-counter whitening doesn't last very long. This means you may need to repeat the treatment regularly over time to maintain your results. However, professional whitening can last for around 2 to 3 years depending on your eating and drinking habits. Your dentist may also provide you with at-home whitening trays if you wish to boost your results further.

6. More comfortable

Dentists take great care to ensure you are comfortable during a teeth-whitening treatment. They also ensure that should they provide you with whitening trays to take home, that those trays fit your mouth perfectly. Over-the-counter teeth whitening, on the other hand, is usually uncomfortable because it doesn't take into account the size of your mouth.   

7. Professional supervision

Finally, professional teeth whitening comes with the expert supervision and advice of a dentist. As a result, you'll be calmer during your treatment, and you'll come away from your treatment with the knowledge you need to whiten your teeth easily and safely at home, should you choose to. You won't have this benefit with an over-the-counter teeth whitening treatment.

Professional teeth whitening treatment is more effective than over-the-counter teeth whitening treatments. This is especially if you need to whiten your teeth quickly, for an upcoming social engagement. And with the supervision of a dentist, you can ensure that you achieve the best results possible, without putting your teeth at risk.