On this page you will learn:
Summary – use teeth whitening strips if:
Price: €20–€40
How to use: Fix strips to teeth, leave and remove
Number of treatments: Varies – most are 2 or 3-week treatments.
How often: Daily for 2–3 weeks
Teeth whitening strips are gel strips that you push on to the front of your teeth and fold over to whiten the back of your teeth.
They come in pouches of two – one for top teeth, one for bottom teeth. They can be:
You need two strips for each treatment. So if a product says 40 strips, that means 20 treatments.
Find out why peroxide vs non-peroxide matters here.
All strips come with instructions.
Strips are very simple—the gel on the strip has a whitening agent in it. When this makes contact with your teeth it bleaches any stains or discolouration.
In most non-dissolving strips the important ingredient is hydrogen peroxide—this is the chemical that actually whitens the teeth and can be found in plenty of teeth whitening products.
Dentists also use hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth as part of a dental hygiene routine.
You can also get peroxide-free non-dissolving strips.
Other ingredients will be included to ensure the strips stay moist, taste nice and stick to your teeth.
Here’s a quick example of what the ingredients in one product do.
Ingredient: PVP| What it is: thickening agent |
Helps the strip stay in place. |
Ingredient: PEG-8| What it is: solvent |
Helps the strip stay in place |
Ingredient: Water| What it is: solvent |
Helps dissolve the other ingredients |
Ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide| what it is: bleaching agent |
---|
Whitens teeth |
Ingredient: Acrylates copolymer| what it is: polymer |
Helps the strip stay in place |
Ingredient: Sodium hydroxide| what it is: pH adjuster |
Helps balance the pH |
Ingredient: Sodium saccharin| what it is: sweetener |
Makes it taste nice |
Ingredient: Glycerin| what it is: Solvent/humectant |
Stops the strip from drying out |
Ingredient: Carbomer| what it is: thickener |
Helps the gel hold its form |
Dissolving strips don’t contain hydrogen peroxide, but otherwise have similar ingredients to non-dissolving strips.
The active whitening ingredient in dissolving strips is usually sodium perborate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate or sodium hydroxide.
Some dissolving strips have activated charcoal in them.
Each box of strips will come with its own instructions but the basic process goes like this:
Here’s a quick YouTube video taking you through the steps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRHpRWB6OP0 (32 seconds in)
Normally between €20 and €40.
If used correctly and you complete the full course, whitening strips are an effective way to whiten your teeth.
Depending on the brand you use, you may see a noticeable difference in as little as a few days.
The effectiveness varies from person to person. For example, if you have heavily stained teeth or regularly drink red wine or coffee (or other drinks that badly stain teeth), your results may not be as pronounced as someone who doesn’t.
“According to the ADA, most whitening strips, both over-the-counter and those purchased from dentists, are generally effective and safe. However, results and any resultant complications may vary on a case-by-case basis.”
Strips can be uncomfortable. They won’t cause pain but having strips on your teeth for 30 minutes is hard to ignore. And sometimes the gel can get a little gloopy when removing the strip.
Results can be uneven depending on how snugly the strip fits. However, though this may look pronounced when you first remove a strip (or it has just dissolved) the patchiness tends to settle into a more even colour within a few hours.
If the gel gets onto your gums it can cause sensitivity.
Teeth whitening strips are often a good place to start if you haven’t tried whitening before, since they are easy to use and affordable.
You may want to try strips first before you move on to other alternatives.
Whitening ingredient: hydrogen peroxide
Time left on teeth: 60 mins.
Time to work: two weeks
28 strips included (14 treatments)
Price: €39.95