Whitening vs. Bleaching
For more than a decade, the development and the increasing numbers of whitening oral hygiene products has increased and shows no sign of leaving supermarket shelves any time soon. But what’s the difference and which products are best for you? “Whitening” is any process that will make teeth appear whiter. Technically bleaching falls under this broad category, but by contrast, non-bleaching whitening products contain agents that work by physical or chemical action to help remove surface stains only. Whitening products may be administered or dispensed by dentists or purchased over-the-counter at most drug stores and supermarkets and can be categorized into two major groups: Peroxide-containing whiteners or bleaching agents; and whitening toothpastes. “Bleaching” is the process of applying a product can bleach the tooth, which means that it actually changes the natural tooth color. Bleaching products contain peroxide(s) that help remove deep and surface stains.
