We’d all love to have a gleaming white smile and that’s why loads of people are buying at home teeth whitening kits. However are you going to use them and get the best results? Here’s some essential tips to maximise their efficacy and also avoid and issues.
1. Seriously Clean Your Teeth
We don’t just mean a good old brush. We’re talking flossing and rinsing out every bit of debris and plaque. Why is this so important?
- Even Whitening Across your Teeth: Whitening agents work best on clean surfaces. Plaque, food and tartar can lead to uneven whitening as the block the whitening agent from reaching your teeth.
- Helps Reduce Sensitivity: Clean teeth are less susceptible to sensitivity and it’s just good oral hygiene.
- Better Adhesion: Strips like Crest Strips adhere better to clean teeth and a dryer tooth surface so make sure to pat down your teeth first, with a towel for example.
Lastly, use a gentle, non-abrasive toothpaste to avoid damaging your enamel before whitening.
2. Follow Instructions
Don’t go and over do the treatment length, a bot of give here and there is ok but if you abuse the instructions you could get unwanted side effects.
- Over-whitening: Leaving strips on for longer than suggested can make your teeth look so white they are almost fake. You want it to look natural.
- Increased Sensitivity: This is a big one. If you leave them on for ages you can get temporary tooth sensitivity and gum irritation.
- Enamel Damage: In absolute extreme cases, misuse can weaken enamel. That’s if you really go all out!
Set your phone timer and don’t sway too far off the recommended time, it’s just not worth it.
3. Place Them Accurately
Really focus on getting them aligned perfectly to get uniform results.
- Align with your Gum Line: Align the strips with your gum line and don’t place a huge section over the top of your gums. You’re not whitening the gums and this can cause excessive irritation.
- Press Firmly On The Strips: Fold them onto your teeth and hold them in place and fold them around. Keep patting them on and making sure they are secure. You want as much contact as possible.
If you have crooked teeth, bare this in mind as you may need to target a particular tooth more. Remember no contact, no whitening.
4. Post-Whitening Tip
After removing the strips, rinse your mouth with water to remove any whitening gel and try not to swallop it.
- Avoid Tanning Rich Foods & Drinks: For at least 24 hours after whitening, avoid consuming dark-coloured foods and drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, and berries. This can hamper the whitening work you’ve just put in!
- Keep Your Mouth Clean: Continue brushing regularly and flossing. You don’t want plaque and food hiding the whiteness…
- Use a Whitening Toothpaste: This is a good one. Use a whitening toothpaste post whitening and it’ll keep your teeth whiter for longer.
Using a straw for dark drinks can also help to avoid direct contact with your teeth.
5. Listen to Your Body
Tooth sensitivity can be a common side effect of whitening your teeth but is usually just temporary. If you are getting sensitivity do the following:
- Use a Sensitive Toothpaste: Sensodyne is a great one. Try this, it can immediately block your sensitivty.
- Reduce Frequency: If sensitivity persists, reduce the frequency of your whitening treatments. Give yourself more days for the teeth to recover and go again.
- Try a Different Whitening Treatment: Crest Glamorous White are perfect for this as they offer a more gentle whitening process but still stellar results.
Don’t ignore persistent sensitivity. It could be a sign of a more serious dental issue.
5 Teeth Whitening Strip Tips
By following these steps and using a reputable whitening strip brand like Crest you’ll get amazing results! Consistency is key, oral hygiene is a must, and if you experience sensitivty, give it a rest for a bit, it’s usually just temporary.
