Do Over the Counter Whitening Lights Work?

08 Sep 2010

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	Do Over the Counter Whitening Lights Work?

Article Tooth whitening products with bright flashing lights (often in the check-out lines of supermarkets and pharmacies) are not new, nor are they ‘high tech’. In fact, they are downright ineffective. These bright flashing lights have little, if any resemblance to those provided by in-office dental procedures. They are nothing more than a clever marketing ploy. Generally speaking, tooth whitening products with bright fl ashing lights use EL (electroluminescent) light. EL lighting is primarily used in toys, games and children’s jewelry. It is also commonly found in portable electronics products. (Much of the backlighting for cellular telephones is EL, the same blue EL light wavelength that many products claim to catalyze the whitening process). Tooth whitening products don’t need these fancy lights to make your teeth white. Rather, it is the oxidizing ability of the whitening gel alone that gets things done. The active ingredient in the gel is broken down initiating an oxidation cascade. This oxidation reaction breaks down and removes the staining, bringing out your teeth’s natural white color. Electroluminescent light has no place in this process and is therefore irrelevant.

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22 Feb 2010 8:14 PM