Side effects often associated with white strips systems such as Crest White Strips ®.

The side effects that one is likely to experience when bleaching teeth with white strips are essentially the same as to those side effects one is likely to encounter when using any other form of peroxide-based teeth whitening products, such as a tray-based system utilizing a 10% carbamide peroxide whitener. However, the two most common side effects that people notice with white strips are:

Gum irritation. Tooth sensitivity.

Especially in the case of those who have never used whitening strips before, it's impossible to know specifically who will experience side effects or how problematic these side effects might become. In general, it could be expected that as many as half of the people who whiten their teeth using white strips might experience side effects to some degree.

There is a general consensus that the risk for side effects correlates to both the concentration of the peroxide being used and duration of exposure to this whitener. As either increase, so does the likelihood of experiencing side effects.

For precisely this reason, in all cases it seems most prudent to ease into the use of a whitening product. It always makes sense to start with an entry level product, meaning one having a relatively lower concentration of whitener (such as Whitestrips ® Classic which utilizes 6% hydrogen peroxide). It also makes a lot of sense to initially use the product for relatively shorter, rather than comparatively longer, treatment times. This way you can test the waters before you plunge in.

The types of side effects that one might experience when using a white strips system are, in general, the same as those one would have the potential for developing when using a tray-based teeth whitening system that utilizes 10% carbamide peroxide as a whitener. The side effects commonly associated with this technique are discussed on our tray-based teeth whitening systems side effects page. So to provide you with a basis of comparison while you are reading these pages, a 10% carbamide peroxide whitening gel produces a bleaching solution that has a hydrogen peroxide concentration of about 3.5%. The whitening strips products we discuss on our pages come with either a 6% or 10% hydrogen peroxide whitener coating.

What to do if you experience side effects when using whitening strips.

If you do start to notice the presence of side effects, it only makes sense to stop your whitening treatments. Bleaching teeth with peroxide is simply a function whitener concentration and cumulative treatment time. Interrupting your whitening regimen for a few days as you evaluate your side effects and allow them to subside will not compromise your final whitening results (assuming that at some point you are able to complete all of your whitening sessions).

Once your side effects have subsided, you will need to make a decision. Should you resume your whitening treatments or have the side effects you have experienced been significant enough that whitening your teeth is simply not worth the discomfort? If you do decide to continue on with treatments, you now have experience in what methodology produces side effects. What you need to do now is come up with a treatment plan that will minimize the potential for allowing these side effects to return.

About teeth whitening strips and gum irritation.

Gum irritation is a side effect that is commonly experienced with any type of peroxide-based at-home teeth whitening system. The gum irritation caused by tray-based systems is typically thought to stem from either trauma caused by the bleaching tray or else a reaction of the person's gums to the whitening agent itself. The best tray-based teeth whitening systems make use of "custom" bleaching trays. These are trays that have been fabricated specifically for the person who will wear them. This type of tray design helps to minimize the potential for gum irritation caused by the tray itself.

In comparison, teeth whitening strips are a type of non-tray bleaching system. The whitener is delivered to the tooth surface via a thin, flexible plastic strip as opposed to a rigid tray. The soft nature of these plastic strips makes it unlikely that trauma from the whitener delivery system is the source of the gum irritation.

Because of this it seems that any gum irritation that does occur when using white strips is most likely a reaction of the person's soft tissues to the strip's hydrogen peroxide whitener. Unlike the borders of a person's gum line which are scalloped, the edges of each whitening strip are comparatively straight. When a strip is positioned over the user's teeth, by nature, it will lie in close proximity (and even touch) a person's gum tissue, thus creating potential for gum irritation. Additionally, you should realize that any residue that remains after a whitening strip has been removed will contain hydrogen peroxide. So if gum irritation is a problem, you should be sure to brush this residue off and rinse it away after each bleaching treatment.

Whatever the cause, not all studies report the same level of occurrence of gum irritation side effects. In general, however, it seems that the reported degree to which gum irritation is a problem for whitening strips users is not much different from that level experienced by users of tray-based teeth whitening systems. Probably about 1/3 to 1/2 of the people who use teeth whitening strips will notice some degree of gum irritation. Usually this is only mild in severity, does not interfere with a person's bleaching activities, and dissipates within a few days after use of the white strips product has been discontinued.

About white strips systems and tooth sensitivity.

About 1/3 to 1/2 of the people who use white strips products will experience some degree of tooth sensitivity during the course of performing their teeth bleaching treatments. This level of occurrence is in line with that level typically reported for other peroxide-based teeth whitening methods including tray-based products utilizing 10% carbamide peroxide as a whitener.

In most cases that tooth discomfort which is experienced takes the form of an increased sensitivity to hot and cold stimuli such as foods and beverages. One theory is that this sensitivity stems from the tooth's nerve having become inflamed (irritated) because of its exposure to the peroxide teeth whitener. Usually the tooth sensitivity that people experience is mild in severity and does not interfere with their teeth bleaching activities. The sensitivity typically fades, day by day, once the use of the white strips product has been discontinued.

Managing tooth sensitivity side effects.

Tooth sensitivity created by teeth whitening treatments can often be brought under control with the use of an over-the-counter anti-sensitivity toothpaste. Most toothpaste manufacturers make anti-sensitivity versions of their toothpaste and label them with the phrase "for sensitive teeth." The active ingredient in these toothpastes is usually potassium nitrate.

The idea is that you use the anti-sensitivity toothpaste in place of your regular toothpaste for some days and weeks as it produces its palliative effect. It can be a good idea to use an anti-sensitivity toothpaste for at least two weeks prior to initiating whitening treatments, so to minimize your potential for experiencing tooth sensitivity. Prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste or gel (as prescribed by the treating dentist) can be used in a similar fashion.