Whitening is a very popular procedure that can be done at your dentist's office or at home. Before you buy any whitening product however for home use, you should do a little research and training. Here are three tips to help you have safer and more effective teeth whitening.

Visit Your Dentist First the First Time for Training and Education

It's a good idea to visit your dentist for your first whitening so that it is done correctly. He or she can also go over instructions with you to do at-home whitening safely. He or she might even be able to prescribe at-home products for you so that you don't have to guess what over-the-counter products might work. The initial in-office whitening is beneficial because you will only really need to do touch-up whitening at home; with store-bought products, you may need lengthy whitening times to get results.

Learn which Ingredients are Safe

If you do want to use store-bought products for touch-ups, be sure you are avoiding products with chlorine dioxide. This is the same acid that's used to disinfect swimming pools. Instead of removing stains, however, this chemical wears down the tooth enamel to whiten. While you may have whiter teeth, this type of ingredient increases your risk of tooth decay.

Ingredients like carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are safer for whitening. However, even these ingredients need to be used in moderation. Products with formulas between 10% to 12% of hydrogen peroxide and formulas with 35% carbamide peroxide are usually safe. If you have very sensitive gums, then carbamide peroxide might be a better fit than hydrogen peroxide, which can be harsh in high percentages.

Use Pens or Customized Trays

While whitening is a relatively safe procedure, you can experience gum irritation and sensitivity if you aren't careful. A dentist can teach you how to use at-home whitening pens safely. You don't need a lot of product to make an effect. Whitening pens are also better than whitening strips since you have more control of where the product goes, so you can avoid irritating gum tissue. If you want to do more teeth at once, have your dentist fit you with a custom tray. Custom trays are made from thermoformed plastic and adapt to your mouth. Whitening strips can push whitening gel above the gumline when they are pressed down, but customized trays make a tight seal with your teeth so whitening gel won't seep onto gum tissue.

Reach out to your dentist for more information teeth whitening training so you can safely whiten your teeth at home.