I had no interest in teeth whitening until I saw a summer selfie and thought my smile could use some brightening. After years of tea drinking, red wine, and blueberries, it is no wonder my teeth are stained. Regular dental appointments and a fancy toothbrush mean no cavities for me but obviously, even professional polishing doesn't whiten.
I did a little research and picked these Professional Effects strips. The kit contains 20 packets with upper and lower sticky strips (for a total of 40). For some reason I was really nervous to actually use them since I'd read about teeth and gum sensitivity and the warning is even written on the box. My family members assured me it wasn't that bad and to give it a try.
I did watch a YouTube video of a young girl applying the strips and found it very helpful to see someone actually going through the process. A couple of useful tips were to pre-fold each strip before adhering to the teeth (so as to centre the strip evenly) and to use the edge of a fingernail to press the surface of the strip into the space between teeth. This allows the gel to make contact with the whole, visible front tooth surface.
I'd read about drooling too but after the first time, realized if I just sat still reading or watching t.v., I could forget about the strips in my mouth and not swallow or talk. I definitely set a timer to make sure it was over at exactly the recommended 30 minute mark. If distracted it goes fairly quickly.
Pulling the strips off is very simple and a quick rinse and brushing leaves the teeth feeling clean and smooth. I really didn't experience any extreme sensitivity although my mouth felt a little achy afterwards, similar to how I feel after visiting the dentist. Subsequent applications got easier and easier and now don't bother me at all.
I definitely notice a difference after only 5 applications. My smile seems brighter and less yellow. It is suggested to use the entire box of 20 treatments for full results that should last 12 months or longer. Apparently, according to the website, the product contains the same enamel-safe ingredients dentists use. I will finish the remaining strips and hope to see lasting results. If I only need to do this every 50 years, it's not so bad! If I like what I see I might consider little top-ups now and again. There are many different varieties of these strips to choose from so I doubt I will need to do another full treatment for a few years.
Comments