Do Social Media Promoted Teeth Whitening Kits Work?
If you have been on social media at all in the last few years, you have surely seen your favorite celebrities raving about their favorite products. In particular, teeth whitening solutions have been a big hit among this crowd. Many followers now want to know, do those teeth whitening kits actually work? The simple answer is that it depends on what you are looking for and which kit you buy.
What to look for in a tooth whitening kit
By now you have noticed that there are dozens of products online promising to make your teeth the whitest they have ever been. Some of them promise results in just a few days; others take up to three weeks. Some of them use blue lights or UV lights, while others use a strange charcoal concoction to get the job done. The one thing they all have in common is a celebrity endorsement. So what should you be looking for in a kit?
It is easy to go online and read reviews of all of these products. No matter where you click, you will likely find hundreds and hundreds of positive reviews and maybe a few negative ones. Usually, the negative reviews are the ones that are most accurate and telling. However, you should also conduct plenty of research on your own to discover the best type of tooth whitener for you. Some legitimate kits are endorsed by dentists, while others are merely fakes that might make a small difference, but can’t deliver on the promise of “X shades whiter in just Y days.”
Some dentists warn that you should avoid any kit that comes with a UV light. Right off the bat, UV lights should raise a red flag because they can be harmful to your gums and teeth. You should also avoid any system that uses heat, which can also be dangerous for your teeth. Instead, opt for a blue LED light option or choose a brush-on solution that you leave in for a while.
Light-based systems
Light-based teeth whitening kits really can work. However, they rely on a handful of active ingredients to react with the light. Some researchers have found that online sellers are selling these kits devoid of any photo-reactive ingredients at all. While the gel may do some tooth whitening, the light is just a superfluous accessory that makes you think you are getting more action. Many of these kits boast of high peroxide content, but it is not the peroxide that actually works with the light. Instead, you should be looking for zinc oxide, ferrous gluconate and titanium dioxide. If you can’t find any of these ingredients on the list, it is a good sign that the light is just a useless toy.
You should also read up on other people’s experiences with these kits as some of them can cause extreme sensitivity. Some users have complained of tingling and burning in their teeth after using these products. It can take weeks for the sensitivity to stop after you are done with your treatments. You will want to be aware of this before you begin.
Brush-on systems
When it comes to brush-on systems, the charcoal system has been very abundant online. Even though it looks less than desirable, many people swear by its effectiveness. We now see dozens of pictures of celebrities with black sludge smeared across their teeth. This system has been proven effective in some instances when used judiciously over a long period of time. It does not provide quite the same instant results that light-activated systems promise, but it can be used by those who are concerned about tooth sensitivity. On the other hand, it can be a bit messy to deal with, so you need to be prepared for mixing it up and applying it.
What is really happening
The fact of the matter is that whether or not these products work is less important than how they are perceived. Celebrity endorsers posting these products on their personal social media pages makes it look like they use these products day in and day out. Many consumers trust their opinions because they want to achieve the same white teeth as their favorite stars. In the background, these celebrities are working for marketing companies, receiving a paycheck every time they post and share about the teeth whitening kits they have been hired for. Unlike traditional ads that very clearly indicated that a celebrity had been paid to talk about a product on TV, these influencers can be much harder to spot because they look so authentic. In addition, they are usually comprised of a few hashtags and an image on Instagram. They don’t use complex stories of their experiences, or blocks of text explaining why they are the best. They basically lob the suggestion out into the social media world and wait for followers to do what they do best.
Therefore, any company looking to grow their brand online can take advantage of influencers on social media. Even celebrities who have not been starring in movies or on TV in the last few years can still provide a strong boost in sales thanks to their familiarity. So, if you choose a certain marketing company, make sure they have a good reach to influencers in the niche that you are targeting. As marketing companies usually choose the best audiences for your products, and then they serve them up from the mouths of influencers over on social media at carefully timed intervals to ensure that the broadest possible audience will see and engage with the post.
Article by Lisa McNair
This article was written by the guest author listed at the end of the article.