Maintaining bright white teeth can improve one’s self confidence as it’s a physical trait desired around the world. While most dental offices offer professional teeth whitening services, it’s often cheaper and more convenient to whiten teeth with an at-home kit. However, do any of these affordable teeth whitening products, which includes whitening strips, actually work? While the answer to this question may be Yes, there are several dangerous caveats to consider before jumping on the whitening strip fad. Below, we describe how whitening strips work and potential dangers to consider before purchasing an at-home kit.

---

How Teeth Whitening Strips Work

Teeth whitening strips bleach your teeth with active ingredients such as carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. First, these peroxides penetrate the outer enamel layer of your teeth and bleach the extrinsic stains. Extrinsic staining leads teeth to yellow over time and can be caused by coffee, smoking, antibiotics, or certain dark foods. Next, these peroxides enter a deeper layer of your teeth and bleach chromogens, which are pigmented molecules found inside of the tooth. In a process called intrinsic staining, teeth began to yellow due to a host of factors such as genetics, high levels of fluoride, or common age-related erosion.

The active peroxide chemicals found in white strips target both extrinsic and intrinsic stains with the intention to bleach away discoloration. Teeth whitening strips are generally applied twice per day in 30-minute increments. Most companies tout that users should see their teeth beginning to whiten by a shade or two in as little as a week! While this all sounds great, teeth whitening strips have begun to utilize new active ingredients in recent years, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), carbomer, sodium hydroxide, sodium saccharin, PEG-8, acrylates copolymer, pyrophosphate, among many more. While this process should leave your teeth white and bright, what are the dangers of putting all these potentially harmful chemicals on your teeth?

---

Dangers of Teeth Whitening Strips

When using at-home teeth whitening products, users run a risk of damaging their gums. The harsh bleaching chemicals can erode your soft gum tissue as well as permanently damage your teeth. If whitening strips are used too frequently, your extrinsic layer of enamel will began to decay which can lead to pain and tooth loss. Tooth sensitivity and gum erosion is no laughing matter, fortunately, visiting your dentist and whitening your teeth by a professional will eliminate potential dangers as well as result in a brighter smile.

We, at GumChucks, recommend you explore natural methods to whiten your teeth. We’ve posted an article which details several safe ways to whiten teeth, which you can read here. A few of these natural at-home teeth whitening methods includes:

• Eating fruits & vegetables.
• Rinsing with apple cider vinegar.
• Oil pulling.
• Lemon, orange, or banana peels.
• Quit smoking.

Of course, maintaining optimal oral hygiene will always remain the best method to keeping your teeth bright and white. Flossing removes bacteria that could harden into plaque, which could otherwise leave your teeth looking dark. While brushing gently rubs out stains from the surface of your teeth. Regularly flossing and brushing dramatically improves the coloring of your teeth over time. Flossing is an incredibly crucial attribute to maintaining a bright smile. GumChucks’ design ensures a flossing experience that’s faster, easier, and more effective than competing flossers or traditional floss. Our two handles with disposable floss allow you to comfortably reach all your teeth, even those in the back while wrapping the floss around each tooth. This creates the vital “C-Shape” necessary to get below the gum line and effectively clean each tooth.

GUMCHUCKS MAKES FLOSSING FUN, FAST, AND EASY!

Click here to get started with GumChucks today!