Paint vs Strips
By Dr. Linda Niessen -- Baylor College of Dentistry STORY: PAINT VS STRIPS SCRIPT #516 SHOOT: 5/20/03 AIRDATE: Monday, July 21, 2003
Monday, July 21, 2003
Many people associate a white smile with good health. That's one reason why teeth bleaching products sold in drug and grocery stores are hot items. And the competition is heating up for the consumer "whitening dollar." Dr. Linda Niessen looks at the three biggest selling products and how they work in today's Dental Health Check.
You could call it the PAINT versus the STRIPS battle. Who will win the hearts and smiles of dental patients? Is white paint better or easier than white strips?
The newest product, Night Effects, by Crest comes in a liquid gel that you brush on your teeth at night. One kit gives enough bleach for 14 nights. The competitor is Colgate's Simply White which was the first "paint on bleach" sold over the counter.
But the battle began with Crest White Strips that uses an innovative way of putting the bleach on the teeth. Clear, flexible strips coated with hydrogen peroxide adhere directly to the surface of the teeth.
"If you have teeth that are a little bit crooked, or some of these little nooks and crannies between the teeth, a little bit deeper, those strips are not going to reach in there." Dr. Chuck Wakefield of Baylor College of Dentistry tests whitening products. He thinks the paint is easier to use than the strips.
"And it's very hard to place the strips on your back teeth and its hard to keep them on your lower teeth when the lower teeth are so small." Dr. Wakefield's assistant also prefers paint over strips. But she warns the paint may irritate the inside of your mouth. "I could see that keeping this paint gel inside my mouth for an extended period of time is going to be irritating."
Paint requires a steady hand, while strips just require a little patience. The concentration of bleach is essentially the same, 6 percent hydrogen peroxide. A recent study from the University of Florida found the white strips to be more effective than the paint.
Dr. Wakefield adds, "You should really go to your dentist and have all the stains, all the tartar completely cleaned off your teeth so the bleaching agent itself can contact the tooth and do some bleaching."
For Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A & M System, I'm Dr Linda Niessen, Channel 8 News.
NOTE: Dr. Niessen also says over the counter whiteners produce about a 3 to 4 shade improvement. For even whiter teeth, she suggests visiting your dentist to find out about stronger bleaching methods.
Dr. Linda Niessen, clinical professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and the Office of Communications and Development at Baylor College of Dentistry, hosts Dental Health Check, the only weekly dental feature shot on location in the nation.
