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Do whitening strips add much beyond a stain-removing toothpaste?
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Whitening toothpaste mainly helps with surface stains, while peroxide strips can change tooth color more noticeably, but they may also cause sensitivity. How much difference do people generally see with strips if the discoloration is deeper rather than from coffee, tea, or other surface staining?
I’m also curious what level of sensitivity or other change should prompt someone to stop using strips and ask a dentist about it. Are there kinds of discoloration where neither option is likely to help much?
2 replies
Strips can lighten natural tooth color, but “deeper” discoloration doesn’t predict a particular result on its own. Generalized yellowing may respond, while color changes arising within a tooth or from changes in its internal structure can be less predictable. Without knowing the cause, there isn’t a reliable way to estimate how much improvement strips will give; a dentist can assess the discoloration before someone relies on them.
For the sensitivity part of your question, mild, brief sensitivity can happen, but I’d stop using the strips and contact a dentist if it’s severe, persists after stopping, or makes eating or drinking difficult. Significant pain or gum injury is also a reason to stop and seek dental advice promptly; worsening symptoms aren’t something to push through.
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