Are Teeth Whitening Strips Your Best Option?

If you’re thinking about whitening your teeth, you may be wondering what’s the best way to go about it. Thanks to increased innovation in cosmetic dentistry, there are many teeth whitening options to uncover those pearly whites and get the smile of your dreams. When done correctly, teeth whitening is effective and safe. However, wrong whitening products or techniques can have side effects such as enamel erosion, teeth and gum sensitivity, and more.

For this reason, it’s highly essential to use good whitening products and techniques. I’d recommend consulting with your dentist before using any whitening option. It’s also worth noting that we cannot whiten all stains. For instance, stains from tooth decay, medication, or trauma might not respond to teeth whitening. Consulting your dentist before whitening your teeth will help you determine the type of stains you have and whether they can respond to whitening treatments.

• Your Teeth Whitening Options

Based on your preferences, type of stains, desired results, and budget, you can use any of the following teeth whitening options:

• Professional teeth whitening

If you’re looking for the most effective, safest, and quickest option to whiten your smile, professional whitening is the way to go. With professional whitening, you have two options. Visit a dentist near you to whiten your teeth in the dental office, or get whitening products from the dentist for use at home.
In-office teeth whitening is quick, and you’ll have immediate results in less than two hours. With at-home whitening kits, the dentist will give you whitening trays and gel to use at home. You wear the trays for two hours a day, for several weeks. Contact us for teeth whitening near you.

• Over-the-counter whitening products

Store-bought whitening products come with whitening products and user instructions. The whitening strength and use of these products vary depending on the type of whitening product you get. Whitening strips are among the most famous at-home whitening treatments.
Unlike in-office teeth whitening, whitening strips have lower concentrations of whitening ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. It means that patients with deep stains and quick results might not benefit from the treatment.

About Whitening Strips: Do They Work?

For suitable stains and correct use, whitening strips do work. However, the effectiveness of whitening strips may depend on several factors, such as the type of stains you have, the concentration of the bleaching agents, and how long the patient uses them. You can wear most whitening strips for about 30 minutes per day for a few weeks. You can consult with your dentist about how long you should use whitening strips.
It’s worth noting that whitening strips contain bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide, which can cause teeth sensitivity and enamel corrosion when misused. For this reason, you must use approved whitening products. While it can be challenging to distinguish which whitening strips are good and bad, you can use the following tips to find the best option:

• Ask your dentist.

The best and safest way to use whitening strips is to ask for recommendations from your dentist. With many years of dealing with teeth whitening treatments, the dentist can know the type of stains and the kind of treatment you should have. The dentist can also recommend quality whitening strips from reputable manufacturers to ensure safe whitening.

• Ingredients used

The concentration of the bleaching agents is one of the critical details you should look at when shopping for whitening strips. You should opt for products with proven whitening ingredients such as carbamide or hydrogen peroxide. You can consult your dentist about the concentrations of these chemicals that are right for your teeth.

• Approved products

When shopping for whitening strips, ensure dental organizations such as ADA approve of them. The ADA Seal of Acceptance is a top mark of dental products’ efficiency and safety.

• Recommendations and Customer reviews

If your friend or a family member has used effective and safe whitening strips before, you can ask them for recommendations. Furthermore, you can check online for reviews of what other patients have to say about the specific strips you’re looking to buy.

How to use Whitening Strips

Before using the whitening strips, read through the user packaging and instructions. Ensure you follow the given instructions to the letter. If possible, you can discuss the instructions with your dentist and adjust them, if necessary. The dentist knows your condition better and might guide you accordingly.
Most manufacturers recommend leaving the strips on their teeth for a given length of time, approximately 30 minutes. You should also avoid brushing your teeth shortly after using the strips. The strips should be worn for two weeks or longer, depending on the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Pros and Cons of Whitening Strips
Pros

• Effective and safe
• Ease of use
• Affordable
• No need to visit the dentist

Cons

• Tooth sensitivity
• Gum sensitivity and irritation
• Overuse of the strips can cause teeth damage such as enamel erosion
• Not ideal for deep stains
• Schedule Your Appointment Today

Are you considering teeth whitening in Dallas, TX? Contact Trinity Dental Loft – Dallas for more information.