Using Teeth Whitening Strips
One of the commonly used methods for whitening teeth is to apply strips that have been impregnated with a special compound that will remove stains and discoloring from your teeth. The compound used will invariably be a chemical that contains ‘peroxide’. Peroxides are oxidizing agents that releases bubbles of oxygen which have a bleaching effect on your teeth, cleaning them and leaving them a perfect white.
You can purchase teeth whitening strips from your local High Street stores or over the internet. Using teeth whitening strips is an easy and convenient method to use as an ‘at-home’ treatment, as when you are wearing the strips you can move freely around your home and get on with other tasks whilst your teeth are being whitened. Teeth whitening strip kits are available in a variety of strengths and are perfectly safe to use; having been thoroughly and clinically tested. However, as they contain a peroxide compound they are not recommended for use by children or expectant/nursing mothers.
Teeth whitening strips do not have an immediate effect and usually need applying twice a day for a period of three to four weeks. The length of time they are left in the mouth for each application will vary according to the strength of the gel; typical times here are between 15 and 30 minutes. The strength of the whitening gel can also be controlled by the nature of the peroxide compound used. Generally speaking teeth whitening strips using only Hydrogen Peroxide are weaker than those using Carbamide Peroxide. Using a strip teeth whitening kit is not a permanent solution to having white teeth. When you have completed a course of treatment you will need to use other teeth whitening products to maintain the fresh white look to your teeth. This will probably mean undergoing a ‘top-up’ program of intensive teeth whitening with the strip kit every four to six months.
With most teeth whitening strips you have to peel them off your teeth at the end of the allotted time. There is now a new type of teeth whitening strip which, once applied, dissolves within a couple of minutes leaving the active ingredient at work whitening your teeth. This product is proving to be very popular as people are able to use it quite literally anywhere, with no one else being aware that they’re in the process of whitening their teeth.
When applying any teeth whitening strip products you should take care to position them on your teeth and avoid any contact with your gums, as the active ingredient in the compound can cause irritation to soft tissue in the mouth.