Many people see their Surrey dentist and assume they will have sparkling white teeth. Teeth whitening strips are small pieces of flexible plastics that are covered with whitening gels made of either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.

The whitening strips are applied over the front of each tooth and then moulded and casted to fit the shape of the tooth. The peroxided will then seep into the tooth, making it white.

How do whitening strips work?

Whitening strips work the same way bleach whitens clothes. Peroxide will seep into the surface of the teeth and bleaches the colour of your teeth to let a natural and whiter colour come out.

It is very easy to use since most whitening strips contain peroxide gel with some brands more than others and you just apply the strip to your teeth and let the peroxide gel come in contact to the enamel in your teeth. Simply follow the instructions in the packaging and you’re good to go. Whitening strips are very popular since are very easy and convenient to use.

Dangers of Whitening Strips

Most brands of whitening strips are fairly safe to use, but if you are using whitening strips that has chlorine dioxide, it could harm your teeth’s enamel. Chlorine dioxide is the same component that’s used in cleaning and disinfecting swimming pools. It whitens teeth by chipping away the enamel surface. So basically, you’re wearing down the surface of the enamel and increasing our risk of getting tooth decay.

Even if you are using whitening strips that don’t contain chlorine dioxide, it is very important to make sure that packaging instructions are followed. Do not get impatient by applying more whitening strips or place them longer than what is recommended. Doing so can be bad for the enamel on your teeth. Products that can wear down enamel can also be harmful to gums, so if you notice that your gums are irritated after using a product, you may want to stop using it and see your dentist.

Aside from potentially damaging your enamel, there might also be a chance that you will swallow hydrogen peroxide, which is harmful. If you swallow a little bit of gel in these whitening strips, do not panic because it won’t do anything. But, if you ingest too much of the gel, you may get abdominal discomfort and large quantities of the gel can be fatal. So make sure not to swallow gel when you apply whitening strips to avoid its harmful side effects. Contact Surdel Dental Centre for more information on their teeth whitening service.