Professional whitening delivers significantly more powerful, safer results than drugstore options. While both methods can help brighten your smile, the key differences lie in the strength of whitening agents, the fit of delivery systems, and how long results last. Professional treatments provide more dramatic shade improvements in less time, while over-the-counter products offer subtle changes that may take weeks to appear.
Your smile plays a central role in how you feel about yourself and how others perceive you. At Burien Signature Dentistry, we offer professional teeth whitening options designed to give you the bright, confident smile you deserve. We take a conservative, preventative approach to cosmetic dentistry, ensuring every treatment we recommend truly benefits your oral health and smile goals.
Our Professional Take-Home Whitening Options
We don’t do in-house whitening at our practice. Instead, we offer two effective take-home options that you can use at your convenience, both using Opalescence whitening products.
Our first option is Opalescence Take Home Advanced 15%, which comes with premade trays and whitening gel already on the tray. You can wear these for 10 to 20 minutes at home. The benefit of premade trays is that they’re quick and easy. You can take them home and wear them right away without needing an additional appointment.
Our second option uses custom whitening trays or retainers with 35% Opalescence whitening gel. This is the best option for whitening your teeth because custom-fitted trays hold the gel on your teeth more easily than premade trays and deliver the best results. The negative is that you need custom bleach trays or upper and lower clear retainers to hold the gel on your teeth, which is more expensive up front and takes an extra visit. However, once you have the trays, the gel is pretty cheap to buy.
Both of our options have potassium nitrate and fluoride to reduce cold sensitivity after whitening. We also recommend using sensitivity toothpaste like Sensodyne, or we have a prescription high-fluoride toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
Understanding Over-the-Counter Options
Drugstore whitening products include strips, gels, trays, and toothpastes. These products contain much lower concentrations of whitening agents to ensure they’re safe for unsupervised use. While they can provide some improvement, the results are generally more subtle and take longer to achieve than professional treatments.
According to the American Dental Association, teeth become stained when pigments attach to the tooth enamel. Over-the-counter products can address surface stains from foods like coffee, tea, and wine, but may struggle with deeper discoloration caused by certain medications, aging, or other factors.
Generic over-the-counter trays often don’t fit properly, which means they may allow whitening gel to leak onto your gums or may not hold the gel evenly across all your teeth. This can lead to inconsistent results and unnecessary gum irritation.
What to Expect When Whitening Your Teeth
How much whiter your teeth get depends on how strong the whitening gel is and how long you apply it to your teeth. When you whiten your teeth for too long with too high a concentration of gel, you will have cold sensitivity to cold the next day. To maximize the efficiency of whitening your teeth, you should feel a slight cold sensitivity the next day, at around a 3 or 4 out of 10 scale. This cold sensitivity should go away after 24 hours.
If you do not feel any cold sensitivity the next day, you can whiten your teeth for a few minutes longer than last time. If you feel severe cold sensitivity the next day, you should apply the whitening gel for a shorter time for your next application. This approach helps you find the perfect balance for your teeth.
Gum irritation can happen any time whitening gel is on your gums for too long. Custom bleach trays and retainers have the advantage of minimizing the amount of gel on your gums, reducing the chance of irritation.
Does Whitening Damage Your Enamel?
No. Professional and over-the-counter whitening products use hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These chemicals lift stains by penetrating enamel, but they do not remove or weaken enamel structure.
Dozens of dental studies show no permanent enamel erosion when whitening is done properly. Whitening requires no drilling and no shots. You simply wear your trays with gel for the recommended time, then remove them and brush your teeth. Some people experience temporary tooth sensitivity because peroxide makes teeth more porous for a short period. This sensitivity usually lasts 24 to 48 hours and is not a sign of enamel loss.
The Benefits of a Brighter Smile
Whitening your teeth isn’t just about looks. Multiple studies show real social and confidence benefits. A whiter smile can make you look more attractive, healthier, and younger.
People naturally notice smiles first. Research shows that whiter teeth make your smile look more appealing and help your whole face look more vibrant. Even though tooth color isn’t the same as tooth health, studies show people often associate a white smile with good hygiene and overall health.
As we age, teeth darken naturally. Whitening can make you look several years younger by brightening your smile and restoring a more youthful appearance. A bright smile sends a message of confidence. Studies show people with whiter teeth are often seen as more friendly, more professional, and more confident. This can make a difference in social situations, job interviews, and meeting new people.
Many patients tell us they smile more after whitening. Research supports this: people feel happier and more confident when they like their smile. Modern whitening treatments gently lift stains without harming enamel when used correctly. You get a brighter smile with minimal sensitivity and long-lasting results.
Patients love whitening because it provides quick results, it’s non-invasive, there’s no drilling and no needles, it’s an affordable cosmetic improvement, and it helps you feel proud of your smile.
As dental professionals, we do not judge you based on the color of your teeth but want you to have a healthy mouth and to be happy with your smile. If a brighter smile helps you feel more confident, we’re here to support your goal with safe, effective whitening options.
Contact Burien Signature Dentistry for Whitening Treatment
Maintaining your results requires ongoing care regardless of which whitening method you choose. We recommend avoiding or limiting stain-causing foods and beverages, using a straw when drinking dark liquids, and maintaining excellent oral hygiene. Regular dental cleanings also help preserve your bright smile.
Ready to discover the difference professional teeth whitening can make? Contact our team to schedule a consultation. Dr. Andy graduated from the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine in 2017 and completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program. He’s passionate about providing quality dental care with a conservative, preventative approach. Visit our team page to learn more about how we can help you achieve the confident, radiant smile you deserve.
