Are Tooth Bleaching Strips As
Good As Other Bleaching Kits?
Some people say that
tooth bleaching strips are the ideal way to whiten your teeth.
They consider tooth whitening strips as at least equal to
professional tooth bleaching. And they say that there is no
more convenient way to bleach your teeth than with strips.
But are tooth bleaching strips the best way to get a brilliant
smile? Or are other tooth bleaching systems like tooth
bleaching trays and gel kits, more effective at bleaching
teeth?
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How Does The Tooth
Bleaching Strip Work?
Tooth whitening strips are a unique tooth bleaching
system. They are clear strips of plastic coated with carbamide peroxide (usually around 6-10% concentration),
and are designed to be worn over the teeth twice a day,
for an average of 30 minutes each session. The upper tooth
bleaching strip has a particular design as does the one
for the bottom teeth. They are easy to apply and are
barely noticeable to others (and thus can be worn
practically any time of the day). |
Are Tooth Bleaching
Strips Effective?
As mentioned, a tooth bleaching strip is designed to fit
directly on the fronts of your teeth without causing any oral
discomfort or jaw pain (unlike other products with which these
symptoms are often associated -- more on this later).
The tooth bleaching strip uses carbamide peroxide as the tooth
bleaching agent. This agent is commonly used by many other
tooth bleaching systems and has shown that it can whiten teeth
very effectively.
However, there is a serious drawback called "striping" that is
not usually mentioned by advocates of the tooth bleaching
strip. Striping is when the areas between your teeth -- the
nooks and crannies -- are not reached because whitening strips
only connect with the fronts of your teeth.
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Imagine painting
a brown fence white but not dipping your brush in
between the crevices. The end result will be a white
fence with strips of brown. This is how teeth often
look like after using whitening strips.
So while they may work, "striping" is definitely not
something in the product's favor. |
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What Are The Costs Of
The Tooth Bleaching Strip?
Tooth bleaching strips are not that expensive. Depending on
the brand you want to buy, probably the lowest you'll pay for
a box of tooth whitening strips is $25.
What Are The Alternatives To The Tooth Bleaching Strip?
Several home tooth bleaching alternatives come to mind.
Firstly, there are the teeth bleaching toothpastes. But as the
bleaching substance doesn't stay in contact with the teeth for
very long -- just while you're brushing your teeth -- they
tend not to be very effective.
Another would be the use of a tooth whitening tray. Some
people claim trays to be the most superior system as they
allow teeth to be completely submerged in tooth bleaching
solution. However, other people complain that trays are bulky
and uncomfortable. This is true of generic trays that are
designed as one-size-fits-all. The best trays are those
custom-made to fit your teeth. They are far more comfortable
and provide comprehensive whitening.
Finally there is
Professional Tooth Bleaching by your dentist.
This is, of course, the most highly skilled process and
attains the full effect relatively quickly. However, the cost
is high compared to, say, home tooth bleaching kits. The
dentist will cost from $500 to $2,000 per session and you may
well need several sessions.
My tooth whitening tip? You can try tooth bleaching strips if
you like. And you won't lose much if you do. But I believe
that home-based tooth bleaching kits with tooth whitening gel
and trays is probably the best way to go.
by Belinda Sinclair |
