Whitening strips before or after brushing teeth

Do you brush your teeth after whitening strips? The short answer is that you don't have to, and if you do, make sure to do so gently. That's because your teeth may still be sensitive after whitening with white strips.

If you'd like to know more about best practices when it comes to getting the most out of your whitening strips, then this article is for you! Keep reading to find out:

• Why you don't need to brush your teeth after whitening strips
• If you should brush your teeth before whitening strips
• And everything else you need to know!

We hope this information helps you get the biggest bang for your buck and the whiter smile you're after.

Table of contents

• 1 Do you brush your teeth after whitening strips?
• 2 Do you brush your teeth before whitening strips?
• 3 Advice according to different brands
  • 3.1 Snow
  • 3.2 Crest WhiteStrips
  • 3.3 Zimba
• 4 How do I get whitening gel off of my teeth?
• 5 Whitening toothbrushes to complement your routine
  • 5.1 Snow
  • 5.2 CariPRO
  • 5.3 Philips Sonicare
• 6 Conclusion

Do you brush your teeth after whitening strips?

The general advice is that you can brush your teeth after whitening strips, but it's not obligatory. If you do brush your teeth right after taking the white strips off, try to do so gently. If you have one on hand, use a brush with soft bristles.

Making sure to brush your teeth gently will help you to avoid gum and tooth irritation, especially if you suffer from sensitive teeth, even when you aren't undergoing a tooth whitening treatment.

Do you brush your teeth before whitening strips?

You can brush your teeth before using white strips as well, although there is some mixed information out there, and ultimately you should follow the instructions from the manufacturer.

Some will say that you should brush your teeth before using whitening strips, because that way you get off any plaque that will keep the whitening strips from sticking properly.

However, others will say that white strips will stick better if you don't brush your teeth, or more importantly, you may feel more sensitivity during the whitening process if you brush your teeth directly before treatment.

Other advice says that if you do want to brush your teeth before using whitening strips, do so gently and wait for at least 30 seconds after you finish brushing before you apply the strips. The thinking is that if you apply the white strips right after brushing, without waiting 30 seconds, then you risk increased irritation. Whitening strips aren't bad for teeth, but they can cause some temporary sensitivity.

Advice according to different brands

It's possible that different whitening strips will have different instructions or advice on whether or not you should brush your teeth after you use whitening strips, or even if you should brush them before you whiten teeth with strips. Let's have a look at what some of the most popular brands have to say:

Snow

Snow Magic Strips are whitening strips that feature a refreshing mint and lavender flavor. Snow helpfully lists a question about toothbrushing and whitening strips in their list of FAQs. The question is:

“Do I have to brush my teeth before using the Magic Strips?”

Snow's answer is:

“You do not have to brush your teeth but doing so may remove excess buildup before the treatment.”

With Snow, you aren't supposed to brush your teeth right after you use the whitening strips. That's because these strips actually dissolve right on your teeth in just 15 minutes, leaving behind no gooey mess, and no reason to brush your teeth. You are, however, supposed to wait 15 to 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything.

Crest WhiteStrips

Crest, one of the top names for over-the-counter whitening strips, recommends brushing your teeth gently after taking the Whitestrips off.

According to Crest, you should not brush your teeth immediately before using the Whitestrips. You should wait for some time to go by before you apply the strips, after brushing your teeth. This is mainly to avoid gum irritation.

Zimba

Zimba is a natural and enamel-safe whitening strip brand targeted towards those looking for a budget option. Their advice on whether or not you should brush your teeth after using their whitening strips?

Thankfully, on the Amazon page, one customer asked that exact question, and Zimba responded. The customer asked:

“Do you brush your teeth before or after using the strips?”

Zimba Whitening customer

Zimba answered:

“We recommend brushing after your treatment.”

Zimba Whitening

How do I get whitening gel off of my teeth?

If you have sensitive teeth and gums, you may be hesitant to brush your teeth right after whitening them. But most whitening strips tend to leave behind quite a bit of whitening gel. So how do you get this off if you don't want to brush right away?

You can start by rinsing your mouth, making sure to give the water some good swishes around your mouth. That will get a lot of the gel off, but there may still be some stubborn bits stuck on there, especially in the cracks between teeth.

If that's the case, you can gently wipe the gel off with your fingers if you're still not ready to brush gently with a toothbrush.

Whitening toothbrushes to complement your routine

Speaking of whether or not you should brush your teeth after you use whitening strips, you may want to complement your tooth whitening routine with an electric toothbrush that is optimized for both cleaning and whitening teeth. Let's take a look at some of the best toothbrushes to use after you use whitening strips.

Snow

Snow is famous for its at-home whitening kit that delivers professional results, as well as the Magic Strips which we mentioned above. They now also make an innovative LED electric toothbrush.

This is one of the only toothbrushes currently available on the market that combines LED technology with sonic technology for better cleaning and optimized whitening.

Along with LED for whitening support, this brush also includes all of the handy features we now come to expect with our electric toothbrushes, including:

• 2-minute timer with 30-second quadrant alert
• 4 brushing modes — clean, whiten, polish, sensitive
• Long-lasting battery

CariPRO

The cariPRO Ultrasonic toothbrush is made by the same company that makes the Smile Brilliant professional whitening system — a professional teeth whitening treatment with custom-made trays that you can use at home, and this toothbrush is the perfect complement.

It features 40,000 vibrations per minute, and 5 brush modes: clean, white, massage, gum care, and sensitive. With a 60-day trial, you can really get a feel for it before you commit.

Philips Sonicare

Sonicare offers a wide range of electric toothbrushes, from budget to luxe, in particular, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart. It's the Tesla of electric toothbrushes and it has everything you need to ensure an optimized clean and the whitest smile.

You can choose between 5 modes — clean, white plus, gum health, deep clean plus, and tongue care. With the 3D mouth map on the Sonicare app, you'll never miss a spot.

There's also a pressure sensor so you can take extra care, and a stylish charging glass — if you want your brush to look good.

Conclusion

Should you brush your teeth after using whitening strips? You certainly can, but make sure to do so gently. If you are able to get all of the leftover whitening gel off of your teeth by rinsing your mouth or wiping it with a finger, then there may be no need for brushing at all.

Before using whitening strips, different manufacturers will recommend different things, some say that brushing your teeth before will help ensure the strips stick properly, while others say that you will experience more gum irritation and sensitivity if you do so. So it's best to follow the instructions on the specific white strips you have.

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Contributors:

Natalie Asmussen

Natalie used to work as a Community Health Worker and Health Insurance Navigator. She continues to follow her passion for connecting people with the healthcare they need by writing informative content about dentistry and medicine.

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