How Many Times Should I Whiten My Teeth?

Too much of a good thing does exist. The same goes for dental treatment when discussing teeth whitening. Yes, we understand that everyone wants pearly whites, and in severe cases, one session of teeth whitening may not get you the shade you are looking for. With that said, there are certain guidelines that must be followed in terms of the number of times a person should whiten teeth for a certain time.

The correct number of times to whiten your teeth depends largely on their current condition and the method used. To better understand how long whitening lasts for the given methods, we’ve come up with a list below:

How long teeth whitening lasts?

• Professional teeth whitening: professional whitening is a more intense procedure that reaches a deeper level which is why it is long-lasting. Your teeth remain white for around a year, depending on your hygiene and lifestyle habits.
• Professional “at-home” teeth whitening kits: consists of custom made whitening trays that fit your teeth and professional strength whitening gel that is provided by your dentist. You may perform the teeth whitening procedure in the comfort of your home. This is also intense treatment and should be completed no more than once a year. This option is the most predictable because it is done over a period of one or two weeks until the desired brightness is achieved. A maintenance whitening of one day every month or every other month can be performed to maintain the desired brightness in the long term.
• Over-the- counter, pre-packaged home teeth whitening kits: Store bought whitening kits are less intense. Read the directions closely when using these kits since the different brands have different treatment times. Generally speaking, however, it is not recommended that you use the products for more than two weeks at a time and no more than twice a year.

Ready for teeth whitening?

Getting teeth whitening or using teeth whitening products too much can wear down your enamel and cause tooth sensitivity along with numerous other problems. We recommend that you speak with our dentist in Glendale, Dr. Leo Aghajanian, if you are looking to have your teeth whitening or if you would like to try a store bought teeth whitening kit so that together you may decide which treatment is right for you.