Do You Dry Your Teeth Before Whitening Strips

Written by Dr. Brian Harris

August 07, 2023

Dental health seems pretty simple. Brush your teeth twice daily, use some whitening products, and you’re all set, right? 

Well, it’s not that simple. If you check the packaging of any dental hygiene product, you’ll notice that pesky fine print. 

When using dental whitening strips, common questions that arise include - Do you dry your teeth before using whitening strips? Should you floss afterward? Do whitening strips work on bonded teeth

Read on to get the most out of your teeth whitening strips! 

What this article covers:

Why Do You Need to Brush Without Toothpaste Before Teeth Whitening?

Using teeth whitening strips requires a number of key steps to prep your teeth before application. 

First things first, you need to brush your teeth without toothpaste. After conducting experiments with it, brushing with toothpaste can cause some irritation when using teeth whitening strips, so it’s best to avoid it. 

can you drink with teeth whitening strips

By brushing your teeth without toothpaste, you’re cleaning off any plaque and food debris. Cleaning your teeth beforehand ensures that your whitening strips do their job properly, leaving you with a sparkling smile.  

If you’re wondering, ‘Should I whiten my teeth before getting a crown?’ We suggest that you definitely whiten your natural teeth before getting a crown. Strips sadly don’t work well on dental restorations, and you won’t want uneven whitening if you do it after getting crowns. 

How to Apply Teeth Whitening Strips Correctly

Here are some steps for applying your teeth whitening strips correctly: 

1. Floss And brush Your Teeth Without Toothpaste

You need to brush and floss your teeth without toothpaste. Our findings show that this ensures your teeth are free of plaque and food debris, which helps the whitening strips stick better. 

2. Dry Your Teeth Immediately Before Applying The Strip To Your Teeth

Do you dry your teeth before using whitening strips? Yes, you should dry your teeth before using whitening strips. This might seem impossible, but it’s actually not that hard. All you need is a clean washcloth or towel to wipe them down. You could also try opening your mouth and breathing to air-dry them. 

You might be wondering, ‘Does saliva ruin teeth whitening strips?’ Saliva could ruin teeth whitening strips, so keep your teeth as dry as possible. 

Through our practical knowledge, the dryer the strips are, the more they’ll stick. Placing strips on wet teeth can make them slip and slide around. 

how to dry your teeth before whitening strips

3. Follow The Product Instructions

Different products have active ingredients with different strengths and different application times, so read the product instructions carefully. 

How long do teeth whitening strips take to work? It depends on the product. For example, one product might have a 15-minute application time, and another could have a 30-minute application time. Always wear the product for the time recommended on the packaging. 

We recommend that you choose a product with a higher percentage of active ingredients to deeply penetrate your teeth. 

4. Remove Strips From Your Teeth After The Indicated Application Time Is Done 

Next, remove the whitening strips. You might be tempted to wear them longer, but we don’t recommend doing this. Most products only work for as long as indicated on their packaging, so don’t push your luck. 

5. Brush Your teeth With Toothpaste And Floss

After removing your whitening strips, clean off all the product and brush your teeth for 2 minutes. We recommend using a teeth-whitening toothbrush or teeth-whitening toothpaste. Don’t forget to floss afterward. 

should your teeth be dry when applying whitening strips

6. Avoid Pigmented Food And Drinks After Using Strips

When you’re done, avoid any staining foods or drinks for a couple of days. This might be painful for coffee lovers. If you can’t get by without a cup of joe, use a straw so the coffee doesn’t touch your teeth. 

Conclusion 

Using teeth whitening strips for the first time can be confusing, but if you follow the simple steps above, you’ll be flashing a stunning smile within days! 

Why not check out SNOW? Our dental hygiene products are second to none and will leave you feeling confident and coming back for more! 

Did you find the blog beneficial? If so, consider exploring our other guides.