Your smile is often one of the first things people notice about you, so it’s natural to want to take the best possible care of it – including keeping up good oral hygiene habits, visiting your dentist for regular check-ups and maintaining a bright white smile. But what if your smile isn’t so bright or white any more? You may be wondering what options you have to bring it back to its original beauty.
Fortunately, there are a number of treatments that can help to restore your teeth to a whiter appearance. In some cases, they can even go from yellow back to bright white. Products are available both over the counter and online that can provide results at home, such as teeth whitening strips, but professional strength treatments are a powerful option as well.
At Paramount Dental Arts, we provide general and cosmetic dentistry services, including teeth whitening treatments. Our team uses the latest technology and customizes a treatment plan designed to meet your goals and help you achieve that dazzling smile once again!
What Are Teeth Whitening Strips?
Teeth whitening strips are adhesive strips that have a whitening agent on the back of the strip. When the clear plastic strip is peeled off the packaging, it is applied with the sticky side against the teeth, similar to the way you would apply a bandage. There are two strips in each package – a larger one for your upper teeth and a smaller strip for your bottom teeth. The saliva in your mouth activates the whitening agent and helps keep the strip in place while it is working.
Typically, the strips are worn for a range of 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the brand and desired level of whitening. When it’s time to remove them, they can be peeled away and discarded, as they are not reusable. Whitening strips usually come in a kit with multiple strips to be worn once a day until the treatment is complete or you’ve reached your teeth whitening goals.
Do Teeth Whitening Strips Get the Best Results?
Out of the teeth whitening treatments you can find in stores or online, such as whitening toothpaste, whitening mouthwash, whitening wands and whitening strips, teeth whitening strips tend to yield the best results. The adhesive strips stay attached to the teeth for as long as the time recommended, meaning the whitening agent has a chance to get to work without being washed away by saliva or as soon as you rinse your mouth, such as is the case with whitening wands and mouthwash. They also do not contain baking soda, which is an abrasive ingredient found in many whitening toothpastes that can wear away the enamel of your teeth.
Teeth whitening strips usually contain hydrogen peroxide that works to bleach the surface of the teeth. While this can yield visible results, professional teeth whitening treatments available from your dentist contain carbamide peroxide, which is even more powerful and effective. Often, with teeth whitening treatments at your dentist’s office, you can achieve remarkable results after just one visit. So, while teeth whitening strips can serve the purpose of whitening teeth to a degree, the in-office options at your dentist offer the fastest and most dramatic results.
Schedule Your Teeth Whitening Consultation Today
At Paramount Dental Arts, our dental practice is equipped with the latest technology and staffed by a team of caring, compassionate, experienced professionals. We are here to review your goals for getting back to your healthiest, brightest smile and will partner with you to create a teeth whitening treatment plan that best fits your needs. Contact our office in Clifton, NJ at 973-777-1772 today to schedule a consultation, or request an appointment online.