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I received an advertisement for an over-the-counter whitening called Luster Premium. It seems to have some good reviews, but I don’t know how to check if it is safe or not. I worry about things not done by medical or dental professionals, but am also looking to whiten my teeth, so if I can save some money doing it safely, I’m all for that.
Heather J.
Dear Heather,
This product appears to be safe, however, I would not recommend that you use it. While there are over-the-counter whitening products that do work, which I’ll talk about in a moment, this one is phony. The light is not strong enough to make a difference. However, the real kicker is their so-called whitening ingredient. This is not a bleaching agent such as you would get from a legitimate whitening kit. Instead, it is just a pigment that is in the Super Whitener — zinc oxide. Zinc oxide sticks to your teeth and can make your teeth look whiter, but it is only temporary. The pigment will fade away. In order to keep your teeth white, you will have to continue to place the pigment on your teeth. I think this initial whitening is why it has some positive reviews. You can use it and it won’t really hurt you, but I think it is a waste of your money.
Crest Whitestrips is an over-the-counter whitening kit that does have a legitimate whitening ingredient. It will whiten your teeth but will take quite some time. First, by law, it has to be weaker in order to be safe enough to sell to patients who are not under a dentist’s care and can keep an eye on things. Second, it only covers your front six teeth. Most patients have a smile that is eight to ten teeth wide. That means that you will have to wear multiple strips each time to get them all whitened.
I don’t fault you at all for wanting to save some money. That is wise. However, by the time you double your strips and get enough boxes to whiten your teeth effectively, then you’ll probably end up spending as much money as you would have if you’d done professional teeth whitening through a dentist. Your time is worth something too. If whitening alone will not give you the result you want, you may also want to ask about porcelain veneers as part of a bigger smile makeover.
If you’re in Auburn, AL and want help weighing what is actually worth the money, the team at Auburn Dental can help you compare your options and choose a whitening approach that makes sense.
