Many people drink coffee, smoke or eat foods that can stain teeth. There are a few different
options for whitening your teeth. There are toothpastes that have teeth whitening ingredients in
them. You could also go for a teeth whitening at a dentist. They often cost $300 to $500 for a visit.
The dentist will administer a gel with hydrogen peroxide. This can sometimes cause some
discomfort during the session or for a period of time afterwards. The session can last from half an
hour up to a couple of hours.
Another option is teeth whitening strips. They can be bought over the counter, and they have
various advantages. For people who want more than a toothpaste, but who do not want the
expensive and time consuming trip to the dentist, teeth whitening strips are a great solution.
Everyone has a different discoloration to their teeth, so the results will be slightly different for
everyone. Teeth whitening strips can take up to three days for people to see the effects although
sometimes it can take closer to a week. The results will last for a few months. Even the whitening
done at a dentist office will wear off after a few months, so the strips are no less effective in that
regard. Strips can cost anywhere between $10 and $30 which is a fraction of the cost at the
dentist.
The strips are made out of polyethylene. That active ingredient comes into contact with the enamel
and begins to bleach the tooth. You should avoid strips that contain chlorine dioxide. It is too
strong a bleach, and it can cause permanent damage to the enamel on your teeth.
The strips should be kept in place for the recommended time, but is normally around 30 minutes.
You might be instructed to use them twice a day. Most regimens last a couple of weeks. You should
brush your teeth about 30 mins before applying the strip. Apart from just being a good idea to
brush your teeth, it will also remove anything that would come between the strips and the teeth.
While of course you cannot eat or drink while you are wearing them, you can move around and do
anything else. The chemicals they use are not as strong as the ones used in the dentist office, but
there is still the chance that there may be some discomfort after applying them. Teeth whitening
strips are perfectly safe to use. While some will slowly dissolve when you apply them, most will
have to be manually removed after the 30 minutes. It is a good idea to use teeth whitening
toothpaste after using the strips in order to keep up the whiteness of the teeth.