How Old Do You Have to Be to Use Teeth Whitening Strips
Teeth-whitening strips are an inexpensive way to achieve that Hollywood smile. The problem is, they don’t work for everyone. There are several ways you can tell if teeth whitening strips will work for you like age, tooth type, and tooth sensitivity. Teeth whitening strips work best on people who have not reached their late teens yet; those with a lot of tetracycline stain; and those with sensitive teeth.
For most adults, the best option is professional teeth whitening at your dentist’s office. Teeth whitening home kits are also a good option for people with sensitive teeth who cannot withstand the pain of dental bleaching. This article will be discussing how old do you have to be to use teeth whitening strips, as well as what kinds of people they may not work on. So read on this full blog!
10 Factors That Determine How Old Do You Have to Be to Use Teeth Whitening Strips:
1. Age:
Age is probably the most important factor of them all. This is because teeth are very porous, allowing the whitening chemicals to seep easily. So it follows that young people have their teeth bleached more readily than older people do.
2. Dentin Hardness:
There’s a reason why dentists advise children under 12 not to use teeth whitening strips: their teeth have not yet fully formed. They’re still in the process of development for up to 13 years old.
3. Dental Health History:
People with weak enamel are more susceptible to the effects of teeth whitening strips. Also, if you have had your teeth bleached before, it’s easier for them to become discolored again since there is less protection against the peroxides in the ingredients.
4. Fluorosis:
This condition causes permanent changes in tooth color. It can make the enamel become a darker shade of the tooth, especially in children. The stains can sometimes be treated with professional treatments or even by changing your eating habits.
5. Smoking:
If you smoke, it means you have been applying chemicals to your teeth for quite some time already. This weakens the enamel more than usual, so teeth whitening strips will have a much harsher effect on your teeth.
6. Medications:
Some medications can cause teeth to become more sensitive, which would make any whitening treatment extremely painful and ineffective. For this reason, it’s best to consult a dentist before proceeding with a teeth whitening treatment.
7. Diet:
Foods high in acidic content, such as some fruits and carbonated drinks, can cause teeth to lose their protective enamel.
8. Brushing:
It doesn’t matter if you use an electric toothbrush or a traditional one — the bristles are still going to scrub the surface of your teeth. Full-time brushers are more susceptible to chemicals since there’s less protection on their teeth.
9. Mouthwash:
If you use mouthwash that contains alcohol, it might damage your gums and teeth more than usual. Although there is no proof yet, some dentists say the ingredients in non-alcoholic mouthwashes might help fight tooth stains better than traditional ones.
10. Braces:
It’s already hard enough to clean your teeth and braces with the limited space and the wires. But if you add in a whitening treatment, it makes maintaining your dental hygiene even harder.
Some Tips and Suggestions:
1. Know your teeth and gums. If you have not been to the dentist recently, maybe consider going. The dentist can tell if there is too much enamel removed or any potential damage to the gum line, which may be exacerbated by using these types of products.
2. Use as directed. Don’t leave strips on longer than the instructions suggest, and don’t use more than the suggested amount of strips (for example, if they recommend using one strip for 30 minutes, don’t do two).
3. Don’t eat or drink anything during treatment time; brushing your teeth after would be wise as well.
4. Don’t expect miracles; whitening products can only work so much depending on the user.
5. If you want to whiten your teeth but these sound like too much, there are other options such as whitening toothpaste or taking supplements that contain proven ingredients for whiter teeth.
6. Don’t forget to floss! Flossing helps keep food from settling between teeth and helps maintain gum health which aids in the whitening process.
7. There is such a thing as too much teeth whitening, and if you feel like this is happening to you, it would be wise to stop using and maybe visit your dentist for some professional advice.
Which Type of Teeth Whitening Strips Do You Intend to Use?
The type of teeth whitening strip you intend to use will determine how old you have to be to use the product. There are three different types of strips:
- Over-the-counter teeth whitening strips
- Professional teeth whitening gel and at-home trays
- Custom, fitted trays designed by a dentist
How Old Do You Have to Be to Use Professional Teeth Whitening Products?
Although the FDA has not given any specific guidelines for the use of professional teeth whitening products, many dentists recommend that their patients be at least 18 years old before undergoing a professional bleaching procedure.
Since most doctors consider people 18 and older capable of making their own decisions, they usually don’t have to go through the uncomfortable process of obtaining consent from a parent or guardian.
Therefore, when it comes to using professional teeth whitening products without parental consent, 18 is considered by most dentists to be the standard age at which one becomes an adult.
Conclusion:
To whiten your teeth, it is recommended that you start as early as possible. Teeth-whitening strips are not for children under 12 years old and should be used with adult supervision. The effects of using these products may vary depending on how many stains there are to remove from tooth enamel.
Regular brushing habits will help maintain a whiter smile over time by preventing new stains from forming on your teeth’ surface. We hope this blog post was able to answer about how old do you have to be to use teeth whitening strips. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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