Teeth whitening is all the rage nowadays and for good reason.
Let’s be honest, tooth discoloration is one of the most common tooth defects in Nigeria. People get their teeth stained as a result of drugs, water, or sometimes hereditary.
Luckily there are teeth-whitening tools that have been created in Nigeria to assist with this oral problem.
Teeth whitening
Before teeth-whitening tools existed, people in the past mostly used substances like charcoal, ash, and glass to achieve their dream smiles. Yes, I know what you are thinking… charcoal? How? Well, I have no idea either, but it worked.
As of today, however, technology has created teeth whitening kits, laser whitening procedures, teeth whitening paste, and others.
Everywhere is now flush with remedial solutions to helping people achieve a bright smile. And because of their convenience, a lot of people jump on them without being aware that teeth whitening kits are no guarantee to achieving a perfect smile.
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Teeth Whitening Kits: What Are They?
As said above, these special kits come in various forms. However, they are mainly a collection of trays and tubes of whitening gel/syringes used to bleach the teeth.
The substance can be placed on the teeth for a while before rinsing. Most whitening kits come with manuals and instructions. When you purchase one, you must go through it to track your progress.
Generally, there are plenty of teeth whitening kit brands available in the market today and it is important to note that results vary from one user to another. Their respective effectiveness depends on the hydrogen peroxide concentrations and how well users follow the instructions given.
Here is a list of the various types of teeth whitening kits in Nigeria.
Teeth Whitening Kits with moldable trays
This type of whitening kit requires heat before usage. You have to heat them before placing them on your teeth to achieve your teeth mold, then place them in the whitening gel to achieve results.
Whitening kits with prefilled trays
Just like the name, these trays are already filled with whitening gel. All you need to do is place them on your teeth. This is the most common and convenient to use.
Most times, you can also multitask with it.
Teeth whitening pen
The main benefit of a teeth-whitening pen is its ease of use. It can be very easy to use and is a great solution since you essentially use it to ‘paint’ the whitening agent directly on the teeth.
The gel has a substantial amount of carbamide peroxide and the whitening agent should be “strong enough to produce a visual difference in the brightness of your teeth when used consistently.
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Teeth whitening toothpaste
Switching to a whitening toothpaste is an easy way to try to get pearly whites. They contain lower percentages of hydrogen peroxide, and while some rely on physical tooth polishers like silica or calcium carbonate, which can dull the surface of the enamel over time, Optic White contains hydrogen peroxide in toothpaste can whiten or bleach your tooth enamel, giving you true color change to your tooth structure.
Whitening kits with LED lights
As of now, LED whitening kits are becoming popular. This is because it looks finer and is said to be more effective when compared to others.
This kit is attached to led light to help with the even distribution of gel substance on the teeth.
How do teeth whitening tools work?
The process of teeth whitening is similar to any bleaching process, as the application of the teeth-whitening substance and the amount of time used affects the teeth-whitening process. The gel substance primarily contains carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide as the main ingredients.
Fast-acting gels contain higher hydrogen peroxide concentrations, making them more effective in removing stains and deep coloration. With the prefilled and doable trays, the contact between the substance and your teeth is what propels the whitening action.
On the other hand, LED light enhances the effect of hydrogen peroxide on the teeth. It may sound like a whole lot of mumbo-jumbo, but it’s actually very effective.
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Where can I get teeth whitening kits in Nigeria?
While choosing the best whitening kit may be difficult, a good rule of thumb is to use whitening kits recommended by a dentist. Going through credible and trustworthy teeth whitening kit reviews may also help simplify your search process.
But you need to know where to get them. Primarily, they are sold at dentist’s offices and some medical Instagram stores. They generally cost from N8,000, though the price may vary from store to store.
What are the steps I need to follow when using kits with pre-filled trays?
Here is a simple guide on how to use the tray:
- You need to brush your teeth first
- Line the top tray against the bottom of the top teeth and carefully push the tray upwards onto the teeth.
- Repeat this step for the bottom tray.
- Close your mouth, but be careful not to bite down hard to avoid letting out the gel.
- Keep the trays in position for the specified period as in the instructions.
- Afterward, remove and dispose of the trays.
- Use water to rinse the teeth and gums of any excess gel.
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Achieving a pearly white smile is everyone’s dream. Teeth whitening kits in Nigeria have proven to offer an easy and convenient way to keep the teeth perfect but mind you, it may not always match the results with in-office teeth whitening procedures. But they improve as the day goes by.
Remember that not everything would give you the full improvement you require.
