Are YOU using your teeth whitening strips all WRONG? Dentist reveals the biggest mistakes people make with the at-home treatment – as she shares brilliant hacks for ensuring your pearly whites are at their most dazzling

Are you whitening your teeth wrong?

Orange County cosmetic dentist Joyce Kahng, who makes videos as Joyce the Dentist, showed her 451,000 followers how to “get the most out of your Crest Whitestrips with these tricks.”

The dentist explained that she “refused to control these Crest whitening tricks” and explained that her followers “probably weren’t using them correctly.”

If you use teeth whitening strips regularly, here are some helpful tips to help ensure you get the most out of your investment and don’t damage your white teeth.

“I see a lot of mistakes being made,” Dr. Kahng announced at the beginning of the simple tutorial.

His first tip is to cut the strips hot dog style to get more bang for your buck.

That way, you’ll double the number of strips and won’t waste whitener when using it on the back of your teeth.

So, people should only place the strip on the front of their teeth and avoid the back.

Dr. Kahng promised that the whitening formula disperses “even if there is no direct contact on the back.”

Your patients also place whitening strips directly over dental restorations, such as a crown or veneer, but it’s best to avoid those stains altogether.

“You actually need to cut the strip,” Dr. Kahng said, “so that there is no direct contact.”

Whitening strips are slightly acidic, so direct contact could cause “the enamel on a crown to disintegrate over time and it may not look as good in a couple of years.”

The third and final tip is to purchase a pack of silicone cheek retractors to use with the strips, which minimize saliva contact with the strips, which can “deactivate the active ingredient.”

The retractor mimics what is done in a professional office and makes the strips much more powerful.

Dr. Kahng reminded people to only use a maximum of two boxes per year.

Some commenters had questions about his techniques, with one person asking, “If it spreads all over the tooth, doesn’t cutting it in half make it half as effective?”

Dr Kahng replied: ‘No. Even in professional teeth whitening we only apply it to the front part of the tooth.’

Dr. Kahng told DailyMail.com that Crest Supreme Whitestrips had ‘“the highest concentration of hydrogen peroxide per strip cost,” while the sensitive version was “the worst bang for your buck.”

If you have sensitive teeth, try strips with higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.

The dentist recommended shortening the time per session but increasing the frequency, and promised: “Consistency is what will win the game.”

For sensitive teeth, Dr. Kahng recommended using a potassium nitrate product, such as Sensodyne, which creates a barrier over the nerves in your teeth, at least two weeks before whitening.

While people may be tempted by whitening strips that come with an LED light, Dr. Kahng believes it’s better to buy more strips because the light’It doesn’t do much and it’s not worth paying double the price.

Dr. Kahng also clarified that it is possible to whiten with bonding, you just have to keep in mind that it will not change color.

Tend Dental Director Dr. Chris Salierno agreed that Crest Whitestrips were the way to go when it came to at-home whitening.

“They offer excellent results while being gentle on people with sensitive teeth,” Dr Salierno told DailyMail.com.

He prefers strips to pens, “since a strip can keep the whitening material close to the teeth and protect it from saliva.”

“For best results, use it a few weeks after a professional cleaning at your dental office,” added Dr. Salierno.

After all, ‘you want to whiten your teeth, not the plaque on them!’

Meanwhile, Puneet Nanda, who founded the Ayurvedic teeth whitening brand. Guru Nandatold DailyMail.com: “If you’re young and don’t have sensitivity issues, the best thing to do is use whitening strips.”

He suggested cutting his brand’s strips in half to save money, which would lighten teeth by seven to eight shades.

However, if you’re sensitive, he says it’s best to opt for a whitening mouthwash three to five times a week, with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains.

Nanda also suggested adding mouthwash to your dental flosser to whiten between your teeth.