Back to blog
Everyone hopes to have a whiter smile and in today’s landscape there are several whitening products that exist that are over-the-counter that are easily purchased online. One such product is called blue light LEDs which help aid in teeth whitening. The staining and yellowing of teeth is something that just about everyone will have to deal with as they get older. Even if you have impeccable dental hygiene, things like drinking, smoking, or even a daily coffee habit can still cause our teeth to look less than pearly white. Surface stains, also known as extrinsic stains, are just one part of the problem. The question we’re going to answer today is do these actually work and how do they aid in whitening your teeth!
How do LED Blue Lights Work?
Before we answer the question as to whether or not blue light LEDs work, we need to understand how teeth whitening works. Teeth can be whitened using a hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide solution (let’s call it a bleaching solution). The oxygen molecules in the peroxide solution stick onto the teeth, allowing for the teeth to whiten and for stains to be lifted off of your teeth. LEDs or Light Emitting Diodes emit light at a wavelength characteristic for blue light. The purpose of these lights help to catalyze the reaction, which helps to increase the rate which the oxygen molecules interact with your teeth, thus allowing for whiter teeth.
What about UV Light?
UV light is also used in dentist’s office for professional whitening. In theory UV light catalyzes the whitening reaction at an even quicker rate; however, the issue with UV light is that it has also been found to cause mutations in cells thus leading to risks of cancer. In addition to this, the energy from UV light has also been found to increase the sensitivity within the mouth and gums
LED Blue Light is a non-carcinogenic, safer way to achieve the same whitening results.
Does light treatment whitening actually work?
Teeth light whitening methods researched by both the Journal of American Dental Association as well an independent study from the American Chemical Society revealed that both UV and LED teeth whitening lights provide results for a whiter smile.
Both UV and blue lights, used in teeth whitening, may incorporate a hydrogen peroxide solution applied to the teeth. By combining the energy emitted by blue light or UV light with peroxide, teeth whitening lights are proven to significantly lighten the color of teeth compared to the results of peroxide alone.
