What Are Teeth Whitening Strips and Are They Efffective?
July 1, 2008 – 9:16 pmTeeth whitening strips are a home based method of whitening your teeth and are an alternative to tray based teeth whitening products. Teeth whitening strips are thin polyethylene strips that are pre-coated in a film of hydrogen peroxide which acts as the bleaching agent. The whitening kits come with two different sets of strips one designed to be used on the lower teeth and the other on the top teeth.
The biggest advantage to using teeth whitening strips is that you’re cutting down on the cost for whitening treatments. Visiting your dentist for a whitening treatment is expensive, and using teeth whitening strips can save you a lot of money. It would cost you no more than twenty to thirty US dollars per pack of teeth whitening strips, which is far more affordable than getting the in-office treatment.
Teeth whitening strips are generally intended to be worn for shorter periods than teeth whitening trays and are far less bulky so more comfortable to use. One of the downsides of teeth whitening strips is the fact that they make use of hydrogen peroxide as the bleaching agent. The use of hydrogen peroxide doesn’t tend to be widely supported in the dental industry as the amount of bleaching agent required to make any significant difference to the color of your teeth would not be safe to use in the home environment. Carbamide peroxide is thought to be the preferred option which is now available in tray based teeth whitening products.
Some level of side effects tends to be a general problem when using teeth whitening strips as a method of whitening teeth with the most common side effects being gum irritation and sensitive teeth (both problems will generally disappear over time). The likelihood of suffering from such side effects is reduced if you use teeth whitening strips with the lower concentration of bleaching agent (6%) which will deliver the same result as the higher concentration strips but it will just take longer to whiten your teeth.
Another disadvantage has to do with an individual whitening strip’s shape, and your gums and teeth’s sensitivity. Because an individual strip is straight, it may cause gum irritation, as it may come in contact with your gums. Choose a brand that has a lower solution concentration to avoid irritating your gums. If you have sensitive teeth and gums, stick to brands that have a lower whitening solution concentration. Make sure your teeth whitening strips covers most parts of your teeth for best results. And don’t overdo your whitening treatment; abusive use of any teeth whitening product could result in the weakening of your teeth enamel and some minor damage to your gums.
Tags: Health and Fitness
Related Posts
Print This Article :
