# Straight Dope on OTC tooth whiteners **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660 "2009-01-16T21:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660/1 "2009-01-16T21:27:44Z")
Do those tooth-whitening products in the supermarket actually work? I’m not speaking of toothpaste (“now with whitener!”) or other stuff (“tortilla chips… now with whitener!”) but of the other gunk: gel you stick in a mouthguard, strips you apply to your teeth, sticky goo that you apply with a brush. Do they actually work as advertised? Or are they just expensive and useless? ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660/2 "2009-01-16T21:34:43Z")
They work to an extent, but generally you have to use them every day for several days to see a difference, and even then the effect is fleeting. They’re not strong enough to give you ridiculously bright teeth but you will see a difference. You’re better off not wasting your money unless you’re using them for a specific event (and then plan ahead and start using them a week or so in advance). ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660/3 "2009-01-16T22:05:34Z")
They work a bit -I used them for 2 weeks before my wedding (in a fit of tooth related self-consciousness) and you could certainly see a difference. I was actually surprised at how effective they were. It doesn’t last forever or anything - in theory you repeat the treatment periodically – I think the basic pack costs something like $11 so for an important event I wouldn’t call it a waste of money. Just don’t expect miracles. ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660/4 "2009-01-16T22:10:15Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#): > > They work to an extent, but generally you have to use them every day for several days to see a difference, and even then the effect is fleeting. They’re not strong enough to give you ridiculously bright teeth but you will see a difference. > > You’re better off not wasting your money unless you’re using them for a specific event (and then plan ahead and start using them a week or so in advance). I have to disagree to some extent. I did a full course of the non-prescription goo-covered strips. But, being the skeptic that I am, I had to make an experiment out of it. I only used the “tops,” so that at the end of the treatment, I’d have a control group. Well, at the start of the treatment, my teeth were all pretty uniformly off-white. At the end, my upper teeth were quite a bit lighter than my lowers. I have to say, I think my smile was significantly, um, prettier. But when I did horse-face in the mirror, I could quite clearly see two shades. The two-tone teeth\* were noticeable for at least a year after the experiment. \*Band name! ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660/5 "2009-01-16T22:16:30Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > The two-tone teeth\* were noticeable for at least a year after the experiment. > > \*Band name! I think a lot of this will vary based on your diet. If you drink a lot of coffee, red wine, or if you smoke the effect will diminish a lot faster. Also, some people’s teeth just take to it better than others. My husband can use them for the same amount of time I do and he always has a much better result. I think it depends on the enamel on your teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-on-otc-tooth-whiteners/481660/6 "2009-01-16T22:46:47Z")
I tried the strips while my SO used a custom moulded mouthpiece and gel from her dentist. I think I had to use them twice a day for two or three weeks, her stuff was stronger and was for 6 or 10 days. As far as whiteness, the results were noticeable and pretty much the same, except the strips cost only, like a 10th of what the dentists stuff did. She on the other hand hand more uniform coverage, and the strips were too freakin’ small, so I had barely my top six front teeth whiter and when I smiled I just looked like a mutant rabbit or something.