Whitening strips are among the most popular health and beauty products in Fort Wayne. Brightening up your pearly whites is a great way to give your smile a boost, and with all the over-the-counter options, there’s no reason not to pick one up and try it out. Dr. Diehl wants you to be informed about every aspect of dental health, so here’s a comprehensive guide to whitening strip options that can give your teeth a newer and brighter shine.
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Nowadays, there are three basic types of in-home whitening: toothpastes and mouthwashes, whitening strips, and gel trays. While whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes are the least expensive products on the market, they are also the least effective at creating noticeable changes short-term. This is because they don’t have a significant amount of the active ingredients in most whitening products, which are hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. However, they are effective at removing surface stains. On the other hand, gel trays and whitening strips can produce some serious whitening in as little as a week.
How Whitening Strips Work
Whitening strips are all the rage in Fort Wayne, because they are made from a flexible plastic material called polyethylene. Each strip is coated with hydrogen and/or carbamide peroxide, with an adhesive to keep the strips in place. Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes as it comes in contact with your teeth, which means it bleaches the surface of your teeth making them whiter. Carbamide peroxide works the exact same way, but has an acid that breaks up stains.
How Long Do Whitening Strips Take to Produce Results?
Treatment times vary from brand to brand, but the average whitening strip package comes with 28 strips for two weeks of whitening (one per night, per row of teeth). Usually the directions instruct Fort Wayne residents to wear the strips for about half an hour before going to bed. Most people that try whitening strips notice significant improvements in the whiteness of their teeth. However, they are not effective on tetracycline (antibiotic) or fluorosis (fluoride poisoning) stains, and they will not change the color of dental restorations.
Professional Whitening
Although more expensive, professional whitening treatments are much more effective, safer, and can usually be done in a single visit. But, if you don’t have the money to go out to a professional, you can always whiten your pearly whites at home through our Club Smile Lifetime Whitening program. The cost is only $149 that includes a starter kit complete with custom trays for home whitening and three refill syringes per year if you keep your prescribed hygiene intervals with Dr. Diehl in Fort Wayne.