What is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is exactly what the name implies: methods to make your teeth whiter. Methods include bleaching, laser and at home kits. There are generally two types of methods for at home whitening of teeth that you can get prescribed by a dentist: Trays and strips. But knowing which one is right for you, and more importantly which one is more effective, used to be a difficult question. Recently, some researchers from the Association of Dental Research did a study to figure out which method of teeth whitening works better. The study was funded by Proctor and Gamble.

The difference between the two methods are both the chemical quantity of peroxide involved, the type of peroxide used, and the amount of time the product is supposed to be in contact with the teeth. The strips contain about a 14% hydrogen peroxide gel product, while the trays have about 16 to 20 percent carbamide peroxide in its gel substance. The strips are to be worn for a period of a half an hour twice a day for around three weeks, while the trays are to be worn overnight, and for only two weeks.

Side effects are also of concern when testing the two products. Generally the strips had less side effects or usage problems than the trays. Because the trays are worn for a much longer period of time (overnight) there are more inherent problems associated with them, such as keeping them secure in the mouth, choking hazards, and overexposure to the product. The other important factor in the test was the comfort and personal choice by the participants in the test. Generally, the strips were far more comfortable to wear than the overnight option. The trays were shown to cause gum sensitivity too. This may be due to the overexposure to the peroxide chemicals each night.

What was discovered: Although the trays have a higher dose of the peroxide treatment, and for a longer period of time, those who used the strips had about a ninety-one per cent effectiveness, and those who used the trays had a much lower rate of successful results. However, those that used the trays were able to whiten more teeth than those with strips because the strips only affect the first eight teeth, while the tray covers almost all of them.

Although both of these specific products are only available with a prescription through a dentist’s office, you can by a consumer over the counter version of the strips at a local drug store. The over the counter version (such as Crest White Strips) has a less powerful amount of peroxide as the dentist version and is not recommended for people with porcelain crowns, which is why it’s better to go with the prescription products.