Do You Suffer from Bleachorexia?

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Americans spend over a billion dollars a year just on over the counter teeth whitening products. That is a pretty staggering figure, in any economic climate.

But what is it about over the counter teeth whitening products that have us clearing the shelves at the local apothecary?

According to an AACD® national survey:

• Virtually all adults (99.7%) believe a smile is an important social asset.
• 96% of adults believe an attractive smile makes a person more appealing to members of the
opposite sex.
• Three-quarters (74%) of adults feel an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.
• And when respondents were asked, “What would you most like to improve about your smile?”

The most common response was: Whiter & Brighter Teeth. (see the survey here)

If you are not happy with your smile, teeth whitening may certainly provide the solution. We could spend $200 to whiten our teeth at home, 4 times per year; or we can get it taken care of at our regular dental appointments for similar cost and convenience…on an as-recommended-by-a-professional basis.

It’s our guess some teeth whitening methods yield better results than others, and different people experience different results, both in the dental office and at home.

Sometimes at home treatments can magically transform your dull looking smile into spearmint chicklet stardom, but we’d rather leave teeth whitening to the pros…and only elect to enhance our smiles when it’s really necessary.

Why is in office teeth whitening better than the at home solution?

Take it from WebMD, not us:

First, your dentist can perform an oral exam and consider your complete medical history, which can be helpful in determining how your teeth became discolored and if bleaching is an appropriate course of treatment based on your type and extent of stains and type, number and location of restorations.

Your dentist can then better match the type of stain with the best treatment, if appropriate, to lighten those stains. With dentist-supervised bleaching procedures, your dentist will likely want to see you a couple of times to ensure you are following directions, to make sure the customized tray is fitting properly, to inspect your gums for signs of irritation, and to generally check on how the teeth whitening process is proceeding. With over-the-counter bleaching products, you are on your own.

Have you ever tried those whitening strips or any other at home teeth whitening product?

Is this the next billion dollar at home teeth whitening solution?