How do you use white strips?

Answer 1

It is pretty straightforwards if you follow the directions on the box. However I will agree they do not seem to properly address various common issues that may arise from their use, other than tooth sensitivity, which, by the way is normal. Here I will address a few of the questions not properly addressed on the box that I have heard of and some possible solutions:

How do white strips work?

The active ingredient, hydrogen peroxide, basically bleaches stains that accumulate within the teeth. Teeth have microscopic pores into which impurities can get into, which show up as stains. White strips simply oxidize (bleach) the impurities and turn them white/colorless. They technically do not "remove" stains, but rather remove their color.

Will white strips work forever?

No. Because new impurities are constantly getting into the pores, the bleaching will last only a certain amount of time (about a year), before the new impurities that enter must be bleached again.

What are the differences between all the different types of white strips?

The only difference is the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The more concentrated, the greater the bleaching effect, and therefore the more expensive. Commercially available, the concentration is about 5-10%, at your dentist, it may reach 35%. At that high a concentration, it is best applied by a dentist under dental conditions as high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide will actually damage your gums or other oral tissue.

Should I brush my teeth before or after application?

You can use a brush (without toothpaste) to remove any layer of plaque from the surface of your teeth before you apply the white strips. Full brushing before application is unnecessary. After the application, some people may experience too much tooth sensitivity to brush afterward, which is fine as long as you remove the remaining gel from your gums and teeth by rinsing or rubbing with your finger.

What happens if you swallow the gel or strip by mistake?

Nothing life threatening. For example, Crest Whitestrips contain Water, Glycerin, Hydrogen Peroxide, Carbomer 956, Sodium Hydroxide, and Sodium Saccharin. When swallowed, it will likely produce no more than an upset stomach for the next few minutes. If your stomach really begins to bother you, try drinking some water or even use Pepto-Bismol.

Can you use the white strips even if you have cold sores?

If you are experiencing too much gum sensitivity after application, you may want to wait until the cold sore resolves itself before you start regularly using the white strips. However, there is generally no problem using white strips while you may have cold sores (as long as you can handle the small amounts of pain that may occur if the gel contacts the cold sore). Note that hydrogen peroxide is also used as an antimicrobial agent and hence may even help cure your cold sore!

How can you apply white strips if you are salivating too much?

Salivation can make it difficult for the white strips to properly stay on your teeth, especially the lower strip. The key to dealing with this problem is to deal with the saliva that is excreted in copious amounts, since it is difficult to stop yourself from salivation, as salivation is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. If you can afford the luxury, you can directly constantly remove the saliva via a suction tube, similar to what the dentists use while cleaning your teeth to keep saliva out of their way. If you cannot, I suggest minimizing saliva contact with the strips:

# Remove all excess saliva # Place the top strip in first, remove all excess saliva from your lower jaw then place the bottom strip # Immediately go lie down on your back, face facing upwards, allowing all saliva to drain to your throat, I suggest bringing a mirror to check on your strips and watch/cell phone to be able to check the time while you are lying on your back Lying down will prevent excess saliva from contacting the strips, but you may swallow a little of the gel. If you do not want to swallow any saliva, you can simply let it pool at the back of your mouth (which is gross) or stand with your head tilted to one side over a sink and let the saliva drain out constantly. With these methods you are restricted to not doing anything else but standing there. Therefore another option that could give more freedom during application would be to use gauze under your tongue to catch excess flowing saliva, but if you are salivating too much, it is unlikely any size of gauze will be able to catch all the saliva.

What happens if I leave the white strips in for too long?

The recommended time will be shown on the box (anywhere from 5-30 minutes), and it is there for a reason. Other than an increase in tooth sensitivity if left on for too long, the active ingredient simply "runs out" or breaks down into non-active ingredients after a while. In other words, while any overtime significantly left on will not likely harm you very much, it will not likely do much more good either.

What happens if the white strips contact anything other than my teeth?

Hydrogen peroxide has the nasty habit of bleaching anything it touches. If it contacts your gums or skin, the effects will be temporary (due to you body's ability to regenerate tissue constantly). There may be a temporary slight whitening of the gums/skin, and increase in sensitivity, generally nothing too bad. If the white strips contact your clothes or hair, it will bleach them lighter, and the effect is generally permanent as with most bleached colors.

Can I eat or drink or talk while the white strips are in?

If you can do any of those without your white strips immediately falling out or losing contact with your teeth, I congratulate you.

---- NOTE: These are mostly opinions, with the help of several colleagues who are dental professionals and many others including myself who have used white strips. If you are still unsure, talk to your dentist about it, they know best about your current situation.

- ChemChemicals