Is LED Teeth Whitening Right for You?

How an LED Whitening System Works

Whitening is any technique that helps your teeth look whiter, says the American Dental Association. There are generally two types of whitening. Bleach-based products remove stains at both a deep and superficial level in your teeth, whereas non-bleaching products use a chemical or physical catalyst and only whiten your teeth at the surface – or extrinsic – level.

An LED (light emitting diode) whitening system is a bleach-based treatment, and home-based kits contain lower concentrations of the bleaching substance than what your dentist offers. An LED whitening system typically includes several applications of a whitening agent, applicators, mouth trays and LED light for treatments over a period of days. Light is thought to speed up the whitening process, says The Open Dentistry Journal (ODJ). It acts as a catalyst on carbamide peroxide, which becomes hydrogen peroxide, the bleaching agent that whitens your teeth.

Safety and LED Teeth Whitening Systems

Whether you opt for an LED whitening system or other home-based whitening products, you'll want to be clear on your level of sensitivity to the concentration of bleaching agent. Keep in mind, sensitivity differs from person to person and with any bleaching system, there can be some level of sensitivity.

In addition to tooth sensitivity, The New York Times (NYT) cites a study that identifies another drawback to LED whitening. The heat, light or laser might damage pulpal tissue. The same study shows that bleach-based systems like LED whitening can cause discoloration between your teeth and fillings. So you'll want to seek your dentist's advice before starting a home treatment.

LED Whitening Systems vs. Other At-Home Treatments

To determine the best whitening system for you, it's helpful to understand how LED whitening holds up to other home whitening products. The ODJ study concludes that results depend on the degree of discoloration prior to treatment, the amount of activating gel used, and the duration of treatment. Overall, subjects achieved better results from in-office LED whitening and more modest results with their at-home treatment. The NYT reports that LED light in home-based treatments created no additional value in the bleaching process.

Whitening products without bleach only lighten the surface of your teeth. Toothpastes, for example, serve as a mild abrasive to help remove stains, and whitening pastes are more effective at removing stains. But on the whole, at-home products that are bleach-based have been shown to lighten teeth by five to seven shades. So, it's beneficial to continue daily use a whitening toothpaste, too.

Whitening Is Not a Substitute for Regular Oral Care

An LED whitening system is one way to achieve the striking smile you're after. But if you're using professionally dispensed at-home products, like Colgate® Optic White™ Professional Take-Home Kit, you can achieve dramatically whiter teeth in three days, full results in seven to 10. Keep in mind, if you're not taking daily care of your teeth, no amount of home whitening is going to keep your teeth healthy. Daily brushing and flossing not only maintain your oral health, but help keep your smile bright.