Dentists agree that the best teeth whitening strips contain hydrogen peroxide, the only clinically proven ingredient for teeth whitening. Teeth whitening strips are a popular and cost-effective way to whiten teeth at home. If you have very sensitive teeth and gums, Crest 3D Whitestrips Sensitive is an excellent alternative. It has an enamel-safe formula that is specially designed for sensitive teeth and provides a smoother whitening experience.
This product also has the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Once you have a kit, you can use it for seven to 10 days to start, and then once every two weeks or so for maintenance. Before doing so, consider making a visit to the dentist for your standard dental cleaning and to consult about your home whitening plans. You can also get boil and bite trays at pharmacies, just make sure you follow all the instructions and let the tray cool enough that you don't get burned when you put it in your mouth.
If you're having trouble finding trays that fit your mouth well, these tighter wrappers from Walgreens might work. The Smile Brilliant professional teeth whitening kit is practically a dentist's office in a box, without the soft rock Pandora station playing in the background. It comes with trays and an LED light to comfortably whiten upper and lower teeth, and contains 35 percent carbamide peroxide (most dental offices use a 40 percent peroxide formula). For those who want really fast results, Crest Whitestrips is something you should try.
It is applied once a day for a week and activated with a blue light during each application that works overtime to give you a whiter smile. Colgate's Optic White home teeth whitening kit combines LED whitening light with blue light technology to activate the stain remover hydrogen peroxide gel that is applied to the teeth through its refillable tray. You even have the option of choosing a normal or sensitive tooth version of the carbamide peroxide formula, the latter of which comes with a special desensitizing gel. Fairywill strips are also great as they stick well to your teeth and don't move.
Start by brushing your teeth to ensure that the gel pen evenly distributes the whitening serum over the surface of your teeth, apply the gel, and then insert the LED light activator, which conveniently connects directly to your phone. Depending on how discolored your teeth are, you may need to apply the whitening strips daily for two to three weeks. Hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide is more effective in the form of a gel that is held against the teeth (think whitening strips, gel in trays, etc). Laughland's mint-flavored whitening gel can be applied directly to the teeth once or twice a day.
When it comes to choosing teeth whitening strips, make sure they fit your mouth correctly and allow better contact of the whitening material with the tooth. Consider one of these over-the-counter kits and consult with your dentist before doing so.