The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs Acceptance of
Potential Damage and Tooth Sensitivity
To be on the safer side, use whitening strips in moderation, as overuse will not only cause tooth sensitivity over time, but it will also permanently damage your tooth's enamel and the surface below.
Although they can effectively whiten your teeth, whitening strips can start to damage your teeth if you wear them too long and too often. Wearing whitening strips for too long increases your risk of tooth sensitivity.
The whitening solution used by dental professionals has a higher concentration of bleaching ingredients. So, while white strips will help remove surface stains and make your teeth somewhat whiter, they're just not as effective as having your teeth professionally whitened at your dentist's office.
For the safest and most effective at-home teeth whitening method, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) recommends you use custom-fitted trays supplied by your dentist. Ill-fitting teeth whitening trays can cause the gel to ooze out and irritate your gums.
Teeth whitening strips use peroxide to remove stains. So what happens is that the peroxide temporarily increases your enamel's porosity. This allows the peroxide to reach the discolored molecules in your teeth. However, it can be a disadvantage for some people since it creates an avenue for your teeth to be stained.
Teeth whitening strips should be applied to the teeth on a daily basis. Do not skip a day! Continue to apply your teeth whitening strips across the entire period of time noted in the instructions. In most cases, teeth whitening strips are meant to be applied every day for at least two full weeks.
Limit use to just 5 minutes a day. Longer wear time can result in tooth sensitivity. If you are looking for faster whitening results, please try Crest 1 Hour Express + LED Light, See visible results in just 1 hour.
Teeth whitening strips contain chlorine dioxide, which is the same chlorine you find in swimming pools. The chlorine strips the enamel from your teeth, causing tooth sensitivity, cavities, and tooth decay.
Do NOT brush immediately BEFORE applying strips. To avoid gum irritation, allow for some time to pass after you have brushed your teeth to apply strips.
Crest offers many packages to meet the needs of anyone's teeth, but its best teeth-whitening product is the Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects. It can boost the whiteness of your teeth by up to 18 levels in just 20 days, and it isn't even Crest's most expensive offering.
To maintain your whiter smile, use up to two Crest 3DWhitestrips teeth whitening systems per year; or try Crest 3DWhitestrips Classic Vivid. These 30-minute once a day strips whiten and help protect your smile against staining.
CAN I WEAR THE WHITESTRIPS LONGER THAN THE INSTRUCTED WEAR TIME? We recommend following Crest's usage instructions for each product. Longer wear time may result in increased tooth sensitivity and/or gum discomfort.
The best way to use them is either during the day or before bedtime. If you use them before breakfast your teeth may get stained as the enamel has micro porosities after using whitening strips and also sensitivity may occur.
After you apply the strips and take them off after some time, then you can brush and floss as normal. Use the teeth whitening strips every day, but do not use them in excess of what the product instructs.
Porcelain Veneers
These are very popular amongst celebrities because of their incredible results. Veneers are thin, strong shells that are custom-made from dental porcelain to cover the front surface of your teeth. They can fix small cracks, chips, gaps, and discoloration all at once.
Their Permanent Teeth Are Starting to Come in
If your child is about 6-7 years old and their permanent teeth have started to erupt, you may notice that their permanent teeth look quite a bit more yellow than their baby teeth.
Consuming Certain Foods and Drinks
“Certain foods that are high in tannins, such as red wine, are potential causes of yellow teeth,” notes Crest. Other teeth-staining foods include coffee, citrus fruits and juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curry, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce.
If you want to brush your teeth first, wait at least 30 minutes before applying the strips. Using whitening strips right after brushing can cause gum irritation.
Some improvement may be seen after only 3 days. Final results are visible after 10 to 20 days, depending on the specific Crest whitening-strip product used.
On average, the white shade achieved with whitening strips lasts for about six months. Professional treatments typically last for about two years. What About Safety?
Are they safe? Dr. Stoess-Allen confirmed that "None of the listed ingredients in Crest Whitestrips have [been] shown to be unhealthy or dangerous to the enamel of teeth" — they even recommends the products to her own patients.
Whitening products such as Crest Whitestrips use Advanced Seal technology to keep the strips in place so you can continue your regular activities such as showering, drinking water, or running errands.
In some cases, whitening strips can cause tooth damage. The peroxide may destroy the layers of your teeth, causing demineralization and erosion. This is more likely to happen if you overuse whitening strips. Again, it's best to avoid wearing whitening strips for too long.