ABSTRACT
Professionally dispensed, take-home whitening products originally consisted of tray systems into which the patient dispensed a peroxide-containing gel. Because the process of inserting peroxide-containing gels into the trays is patient controlled, the resulting exposure of the gingiva to peroxide can be variable, and often high. In addition to concentration, soft tissue irritation is a function of the amount, or dose, of peroxide with which the tissue is challenged. All other things being equal, higher-concentration products will whiten faster because of the peroxide concentration gradient, but they also will lead to poorer soft tissue tolerability because of a higher peroxide challenge. Consequently, take-home trays are somewhat limited with respect to the concentration of hydrogen peroxide that they can safely use. In 2000, strip-based whitening technology was introduced that allowed a controlled, uniform, low dose of peroxide to be applied to the teeth. An execution of this strip-based technology that contained 6.5% hydrogen peroxide, Crest Professional Whitestrips, was launched in 2001. A new professionally dispensed strip product, Crest Whitestrips Supreme, recently has been introduced. A 14% hydrogen-peroxide gel is incorporated onto these strips, but the amount of gel is half of what is on the 6.5% strips. The net result is that the dose, or amount, of peroxide on each strip is essentially the same as for the Professional Whitestrips product. Therefore, the 14% hydrogen-peroxide strip product whitens faster and better than previous strip products, while still being well tolerated by the soft tissue.
