I saw an advertisement for Luster Premium At Home Teeth Whitening System. There seem to be some positive reviews that said they saw an almost immediate difference. Do you know if this is safe for my teeth?

Drew

Dear Drew,

After looking into this product, I have come to the conclusion that they are swindling people. Starting with the light, it doesn’t have any real power to do anything so I believe they have put it there as a psychological trigger to make patients think the light is the reason their teeth look whiter. It’s not.

You may be wondering why I say it is a swindle if their teeth are whiter. Good question! The whitening results are coming from a pigment in their “Super Whitener”. The pigment, zinc oxide, sticks to your teeth and makes them look whiter, but fades away. My guess is the positive reviews were written when the pigment was first placed on the teeth. I would not waste your money on this because you will have to keep buying it often in order to keep the pigment on your teeth. That isn’t whitening your teeth; it is painting them.

The Best Way to Whiten Your Teeth at Home

If you want to truly whiten your teeth, the best way to do that is with bleaching trays from your dentist. He can custom fit trays to your specific bite. Then he or she will give you some whitening gel to wear in the trays. You can wear it at a time that is convenient for you from about 20 minutes up to overnight.

This gives you complete control over how fast, as well as how white your teeth get. This truly whitens your teeth, oxidizing them from the inside out. The change is permanent, though teeth can pick up new stains. If you’re diligent with your oral health, you can get rid of those while they are surface stains. Some people do like to “touch up” their teeth every few years.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.