Does LED Teeth Whitening Really Work?

If you’re looking to brighten up your smile, there are plenty of options to consider in your quest for some nice pearly whites. The highly popularized trend, LED light whitening, has been widely promoted by celebrities influencers on social media. These at-home teeth whitening use LED technology, with many users swearing by their effectiveness, but do they really work?

To start off, the principles of teeth whitening work by applying a special agent known to whiten stains on the teeth’s surface. To speed up this reaction, a blue light source is shone on the treated area in order to speed up the process. While UV light is the most commonly used light source, there have been recent safety concerns over its potential link to cancer.

LED light is much safer and has a number of benefits when compared to the potentially harmful UV light. LED light is used in conjunction with teeth whitening agents to help brighten your smile. One aspect to understand though is the fact that LED light alone will not do anything to help whiten your teeth. It must be used with a whitening agent like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Both of these agents are known to remove superficial stains and deeper discoloration by altering their chemical structure.

According to a study published in the Open Dentistry Journal, LED whitening can be effective in helping speed up the whitening process. When combined with carbamide peroxide-based whitening agents, LED light has been shown to be a powerful catalyst for speeding up teeth whitening. It also makes for a much safer experience when compared to traditional UV light whitening.

As for its safety, LED light by all accounts seems to be a pretty safe thing. Doing at-home whitening with LED light kits can be done very safely, with minimal complications. The biggest risk of these kits are not from the LED light, but from the whitening agents used, as they typically contain a form of bleach which can be toxic. You may find some sensitivity and gum irritation after using one of these kits, but that should go away shortly after treatment is completed.

The biggest draws for LED light whitening kits are the fact that they are very affordable when compared to whitening done at a dentist’s office. They are also highly convenient, allowing you to whiten in the comfort of your home.

emember, teeth whitening is never permanent, and should not be used a substitute for practicing proper oral hygiene. It should be noted that it is possible to overdo teeth whitening, which can result in damaging the enamel of your teeth if done too often. Overall LED light teeth whitening is a solid advancement in at-home treatment, and can be done safely and effectively at a fraction of the cost.