Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you! If you’re trying to dazzle, taking good care of your oral health is an important step - not to mention extremely important to your overall health and wellness.
While regular brushing, flossing, and dental care are absolutely crucial, sometimes you just want that little extra to help your teeth look their best. That’s why many people choose to use whitening strips!
As whitening strips gain in popularity, questions about them become all the more important - how do you use them, and how frequently should you be applying them?
If you’re looking to stay safe while also getting the most efficient results from your home whitening strips, this is the article for you! We’ll cover everything you need to know about this hot product, including:
- Understanding Whitening Strips
- Frequency of Use
- Recommended Usage
- Factors Affecting Frequency
- Maintaining Results and Avoiding Overuse
Understanding Whitening Strips
Almost all whitening strips on the market consist of a thin piece of plastic coated in a solution that works to brighten your teeth. This solution is made up of any number of varying ingredients that work as flavorings, binding or texturing agents, or to protect your teeth.
However, the active ingredient in whitening strips is always some sort of bleaching agent.
The most commonly used bleaching agent is hydrogen peroxide. This works in the same way bleach keeps your clothing white - through oxidation of the stain causing particles, rendering them non-visible.
Hydrogen peroxide based strips have been shown to effectively whiten teeth. However, the use of a harsh chemical agent does not come without side effects. In the study linked above, several of the participants experienced tooth sensitivity and oral irritation.
In rare cases, whitening strips may contain chlorine dioxide - these should be avoided at all costs. This bleaching agent can severely damage the enamel of your teeth and increase risk of tooth decay, as well as causing pain or discomfort to the mouth and gums.
A more modern bleaching agent is phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid (PAP). This ingredient is peroxide free, and has been favored by many up and coming dental care brands, as well as those consumers with sensitive teeth or concerns about harsh chemical ingredients.
Additionally, PAP has been shown to not damage the enamel or microhardness of the teeth, as well as whitening more effectively than a 6% hydrogen peroxide based whitening solution.
No matter the bleaching agent, it’s important to follow the instructions on the package of your whitening strips, and to only use as directed. Overuse of any strips can cause discomfort or damage, as well as reducing the overall efficacy of the whitening process.
Frequency of Use
In general, the frequency at which you should use whitening strips depends on your goals, your teeth, and the brand of strips you are using.
It’s important to consult with a dentist if you have any discomfort, concerns, or existing conditions that may be aggravated by the use of whitening strips. However, here are some guidelines you can follow on how often you should apply whitening strips.
Recommended Usage
If you’re just starting your whitening journey, you will most likely need to apply the whitening strips daily (or even twice daily) over a period of several days to get the desired results.
The standard protocol involves using the strips twice daily for 30 minutes over 14 consecutive days.
Most strips require an application time of thirty minutes to an hour, so many people choose to apply them in the evening, when they are done eating for the day and can relax.
It’s important to follow the recommendations of whichever product you are using closely. For example, here are the usage directions for our Sensitive Smile Whitening Strips:
- Remove strips from the backer. With both hands, apply to top and bottom by aligning the straight edge with the gum line.
- Press gently on the front teeth then fold over to the back and press until the strip is firmly in place.
- Leave on for 30 minutes, remove, rinse if desired, and brush. Oh, and then smile.
- Use daily for up to seven days, or until you see desired results.
However, the usage instructions for hydrogen peroxide based strips, or even on competing PAP based strips, will almost certainly differ, so make sure to pay close attention to the instruction of whichever product you choose.
Factors Affecting Frequency
The Brand
As mentioned above, which brand of whitening strips you use affects how frequently you need to (or are able to) use them. You may need to keep less effective strips on for longer, or apply them more frequently to see the desired results.
At the same time, if your strips have harsher ingredients, you may not be able to apply them as frequently without increased risk of negative side effects.
Your Goals
The primary factor that will affect how frequently you use whitening strips depends on your personal preferences.
If you’re only looking to go up a few brightness levels, you will likely only need to use strips for the initial starting period, and then once or twice a week to maintain.
However if you’re looking for a major transformation, or have significant stain, it may take a longer period of daily use to achieve your desired results.
Your Teeth
Everyone is different, and so are everyone’s teeth! Some people may have staining that comes out easier than others, which can of course affect how often they need to use whitening strips.
In addition, if you have sensitive teeth or gums, you may not be able to use whitening strips as frequently, or for the recommended application length. This is more likely with the usage of hydrogen peroxide based products, and those with 14% hydrogen peroxide as opposed to 6%, as they can be harsher.
If you’re experiencing discomfort, it’s important to consult with a dentist or other oral health professional, as they will be able to recommend the best course of action for your specific circumstances.
Maintaining Results and Avoiding Overuse
The effect of whitening strips is not permanent, so you will need to reapply them every so often once your desired level of whiteness is achieved to maintain results.
This could vary from once or twice a week to a couple of times a month, depending on lifestyle, oral hygiene habits, and other factors. To reduce the frequency of reapplication, it’s important to try and avoid major stain causes such as bright artificial dyes, red wine, coffee, and tobacco use.
At the very least, take care to brush soon after consuming these products, as well as generally maintaining a good oral hygiene regimen.
It’s also important to note that whitening strips will reduce extrinsic staining (like that caused by the factors listed above, or just by aging), but they will not work on intrinsic stains, like those caused by tooth decay, injury, some medications, and genetic factors.
In fact, it can be painful and even damaging to use whitening strips on damaged teeth, so it’s important to be cautious.
It’s also very important not to overuse whitening strips, even those with gentler ingredients. Misuse or overuse can cause a range of side effects, including gum irritation, inflammation, tooth sensitivity, and ineffective whitening. In some severe cases, chronic overuse can even lead to worn tooth enamel, which in turn leads to an increased risk of tooth decay.
According to Dr. Anjum Chaudhary, BDS, MDS, Tooth whitening strips are generally considered safe and can be a good and cost-effective method for removing teeth stains. Nevertheless, it is crucial for individuals to use them accurately to prevent any detrimental consequences. Improper usage of these products can potentially harm tooth enamel and lead to permanent problems.
Individuals considering using teeth whitening strips may desire to discuss them in an appointment with their dentist. Additionally, it is crucial to confirm user ratings, dentists' recommendations, and ingredient listings.
Conclusion
Overall, how often you should use whitening strips depends on the product, your teeth, and your goals. It’s extremely important to follow the manufacturer's instructions closely to minimize risk and ensure the best results.
If you’re thinking of trying out whitening strips, our Sensitive Smile Whitening Strips are a great choice! They’re gentle, effective, and free of harsh ingredients. The application time is only thirty minutes, with daily use for a week if you’re just starting out and maintenance from there onwards.
If you’ve had bad experiences with whitening strips in the past, switching to a gentler, more modern strip could work for you too!
However, there are plenty of whitening options out there. If you’re not sure about strips, talk to your dentist to find out about the range of whitening treatments available to find the one that works the best for you.