What are teeth whitening strips?

Teeth whitening strips are flexible thin strips of plastic that are coated with a tooth whitening gel containing bleaching agent. They work by keeping the whitening gel in place against your teeth to remove surface stains ,whiten teeth by deep cleaning and protect teeth from everyday stain buildup. The results can vary, and will be influenced by types of whitening strips used and your diet taken

What teeth whitener is found on whitening strips?

The bleaching agent used in most of the whitening strips is hydrogen peroxide, one of the bleaching agent that dentists use in the dental office to remove tooth stains. The concentration of the bleaching agent is much lower for safety reasons, ranging from 6% to 10% hydrogen peroxide (Professional tooth whitening products contain 15% to 43% peroxide, over-the-counter products, use 3% , 6% or 10%).

How to use teeth whitening strips?

Two separate strips are provided, one for the upper and one for the lower teeth. Each whitening strip is positioned across the teeth and then gently pressed into place and let them stay there for about 30 minutes for a period of 7-14 days depending on the active ingredient’s concentration in each specific product. The 10% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips are used for 7 days whereas the 6% kits have to be used for 14 days (twice as long due to lower concentration). You must try to limit the contact of the strip with the gums to avoid irritations.

How effective are teeth whitening strips?

The hydrogen peroxide reacts with the stains on your teeth and release oxygen which bleaches the color out of the stains. The result is whiter teeth after about a week or two of usage. However, the results will depend on a variety of factors including how badly your teeth are stained and how consistently you use the strips. Manufacturers claim that the whitening effect will lasts from 12 to 18 months, but normally the results will last for 6 months.

How long do teeth whitening strips last?

Depending on your diet and types of whitening strips used, the effectiveness varies, but is generally less long-lasting than gels. An average time is 6 months to a year.

Are there advantages to using whitening strips?

• Low cost
• Easy to use tooth whitening system, after the whitening toothpastes
• The bleaching agent comes in less contact with the gums compared to the tray based whitening systems; therefore the possibility of gum irritation is limited.
• Do not cause a jaw joint problem, trigger gag reflex or excessive salivation

Are there disadvantages to using whitening strips?

• Since teeth are curved, the strips don’t fully cover the curved parts near the sides of teeth. The whitening strips only whiten the teeth they are in direct contact with, so only these front teeth are whitened while others are still dark
• The strips cannot fit completely within the cracks and grooves on the surface of some teeth. The tooth may have an uneven color. The same applies to the curves at the sides of the tooth that do not come in contact with the whitening strip
• Due to the lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the expected results are much slower than professional tooth whitening
• While this is the cheapest tooth whitening method, it has the most unpredictable results and is of low effectiveness, especially on teeth with deep profound stains

Different brands of Teeth Whitening Strips

There are a lot of whitening strips in the market and is subjected to personal preference.  These professional products from popular brands such as Crest, Listerine, and Rembrandt contain the same whitening ingredient as the professional products dentists use to whiten teeth.

REMBRANDT

Oral-B Rembrandt Whitening Strips

• Whitens teeth in 5 days
• Just use once a day
• Easy, no mess formula.
• Fast
• $19.95

LISTERINE

• Use twice daily for noticeably whiter smile in just two weeks
• Easy and convenient
• Thin
• Virtually clear strips that start to work as soon as they are applied to your teeth.
• The strips simply dissolve as they work to whiten your smile,
• No messy gel and nothing to remove.
• Refreshing mint taste and kill germs that cause bad breath
• The strips dissolve in approximately 5–10 minutes on your teeth
• LISTERINE WHITENING® Quick Dissolving Strips -$19.87 for 56 strips
• LISTERINE WHITENING Strips -$5.99 for 10 strips

CREST

Crest Whitestrips Classic

Crest Whitestrips Professional

Crest Whitestrips Premium

Crest Whitestrips Premium Plus

Crest Whitestrips Supreme

Crest Whitestrips Renewal

Crest Whitestrips Daily Multicare

Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal

-Teeth whitening strips cost depends on the types of strips you choose

Crest Whitestrips Classic

• Apply Crest Whitestrips Classic twice a day for 30 minute each application.
• Whitens teeth after 5 days

Crest® Whitestrips® Supreme

• Take home (professional) whitening strips
• Available exclusively through dental offices
• Contain 14% hydrogen peroxide
• These strips can be applied twice daily, for 30 minutes, for 14 days.
• The main advantage of take home whitening strips is that they provide much more effective whitening

Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal

• Molds and adheres to teeth
• Removes cleanly
• Start seeing whiter teeth after 3 days
• Get results that last 12 months – satisfaction guaranteed