DIY teeth whitening has become far easier and cheaper than the older ways to whiten teeth. A visit to the dentist’s office for a professional teeth whitening session costs thousands of dollars, and it requires an appointment. By the time you get to the office, wait, and then have the procedure done, it can be over an hour. The session can also be quite painful and uncomfortable. Having the bleach on your teeth with your mouth pried open can be quite an unpleasant experience.
There are many more options now for people to whiten their teeth at home. There are purely natural ways to whiten your teeth, but they have not been shown to be all that effective. There are ways to try that include baking soda, vinegar, or coconut oil, but their results are not very noticeable. Mouthwashes that claim to whiten your teeth are also far less effective as they only touch your teeth for a few seconds, and they take far longer to see any results at all.
Teeth whitening strips are the most effective way to whiten your teeth at home and on your schedule. OTC teeth whitening strips costs as little as $10-20, and each session can only take 20-30 minutes. One of the best reasons to try and whiten teeth yourself is that it can be done whenever you have time. If you are less busy in morning or the evening, you can place the strips on your teeth whenever you feel like it. They can also be instantly removed if you have to cut short one of your sessions. It is sometimes difficult to speak normally, so if you have to talk, it is easy to simply peel them back off.
You should brush your teeth just before using them and make sure the surface of the teeth is dry. You should also not eat or drink while you are wearing the strips. All you have to do is remove the strips from their protective cover and place over the teeth. The strip should cover all of the teeth, as otherwise some teeth may be whitened more than the others. The effects of the whitening can be seen within 5-7 days and the results can last for months.
The strips contain the same bleaching agent that you would find at the dentist, but they are in a lower concentration, so it is not a painful experience. Common bleaches in the gel are hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. If they come into contact with the gums, they can cause some pain, so it is important to place the strips in the correct place. All teeth whitening strips will come with instructions on how to place them and how long each session should last. Teeth whitening strips have become more effective since they hit the market years ago, and they are a very viable alternative to visits to the dentist. They are much cheaper and take much less time, and some teeth whitening products make your teeth look just as white as the results you would see after a visit to the dentist.