Tooth Whitening: Demand Is Decreasing

In this survey, we asked dentists if over-the-counter bleaching products have changed demand for in-office bleaching.

Two out of three dentists said there’s less interest these days. One out of six felt there had been no change, and another one out of six actually felt grocery store whiteners had actually increased demand for professional tooth bleaching.

"I can’t seem to give it away at 50% off!" complained a Massachusetts dentist. A Washington dentist disagreed, saying, "Over-the-counter bleaching often stimulates interest in other cosmetic treatments, especially when the patient does not get the result they want from whitening."

Here are some other comments from dentists:

• "Over-the-counter methods work! " (Saudi Arabia dentist)
• "Patients who have interest in whitening talk about it, creating more interest in the procedure. Ultimately, we dentists are asked about whitening." (Texas dentist)
• "When the OTC whitening products first came out I noticed a decrease in in-office bleaching. Now the level seems to remain pretty constant." (Washington dentist)
• "OTC methods are good maintenance products for after in-office bleaching." (Illinois dentist)
• "If a patient is obviously concerned with our fee for whitening, I recommend that they try White Strips or whatever. I explain that the effectiveness of whitening depends on concentration and length of time on the teeth. I explain why our procedure is better than over-the-counter solutions. I leave it up to them to decide." (Utah dentist)

Read more: Consumers Lose Interest in Professional Bleaching