Does teeth whitening gel expire? The short answer is: “Yes.”
Link to Onuge
Whenever you purchase teeth whitening gel of any kind, whether for home or professional use, you should check the expiration date. Make sure you have enough time to use up all of the gel before it expires.
Respectable teeth whitening manufacturers label their teeth whitening gel with the lot number and expiration date. At Beaming White, we label all products containing teeth whitening gel with the lot number and expiration date, either on the packaging, or right on the pen or label, as shown in the above photo of one of our teeth whitening pens.
Many things affect the shelf-life of teeth whitening gels, such as the active ingredient, concentration/strength of the active ingredient, the formulation itself, the container the gel is in, and temperature. Different types of gel have different shelf lives.
If the expiration date is set one year from the production date, it has a shelf-life of one year. If the expiration date is set two years from the date of production, it has a 2-year shelf-life.
At Beaming White, we actually test gel stability/shelf-life for every batch of gel immediately after the gel is manufactured. We do this by placing the gel in an incubator that is set at 45°C (113°F) 24 hours a day, and seeing for how many days, weeks or months it maintains its integrity. If the gel doesn’t last as long as it should, the entire batch is discarded (although this hasn’t happened in many years). We also keep retained samples in refrigeration and at room temperature for 2 years, at which point we check the gel to make sure it’s still in gel form and that the concentration is still high enough.
Here’s what to look for before buying and a couple of things that affect how long a gel lasts before it expires…
Teeth whitening remains one of the most economical ways to enhance your smile. According to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry survey, 99.7 percent of adults polled believe a smile is an important social asset. When respondents were asked, “What would you like to improve most about your smile?” The most common response was whiter and brighter teeth. There are various ways to whiten your teeth, but the two most common are in-office treatments and the do-it-yourself approach with over-the-counter products. It is important to talk to your dentist before deciding to whiten your teeth, as whiteners may not correct all types of discoloration and involve bleaching agents that, if not used correctly, can damage the enamel of your teeth. Learn the do’s and don’ts of teeth whitening to ensure you have success with whitening your smile.
Are you interested in learning more about What Happens When You Use Expired Teeth Whitening Gel?? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
If you are choosing to use over-the-counter whitening strips to whiten your teeth, keep in mind that these products are designed to be used in a healthy mouth. If you have buildup on your teeth, you are not going to achieve the results you are looking for. Brushing and flossing are essential parts of preparing for teeth whitening, but so is visiting your dentist for a good cleaning. For best results, schedule your 6-month dental checkup and cleaning right before you plan on starting a whitening system. By doing this, you will be whitening the enamel on your teeth–not the buildup.
For both over-the-counter and professional teeth whitening, the first few days after treatment are the most critical. Avoid dark foods/liquids, drink through a straw when you can, don’t smoke, brush/floss frequently and you should be looking great.
Keep in mind, the less you indulge in “staining” foods and drinks, the longer your results should last. You don’t need to give up staining foods completely, but you do need to avoid them when you are doing teeth whitening. Coffee, tea, wine, blueberries, dark-colored sodas and fruit juices are big-time stainers. If you are not sure if something will stain your teeth, think of it this way, foods that can stain your white carpet, can stain your teeth.
Acidic foods break down the enamel on your teeth which makes them more porous and more inclined to absorb stains from the food and drinks you consume. A common culprit of this type of tooth destruction is soda or carbonated drinks. If you consume these drinks often, overtime you will notice your teeth dulling in color or even yellowing. And don’t be fooled into thinking a diet soda, or a clear soda won’t do as much damage–sodas have almost the same acidic level regardless of their color. Some other drinks to watch out for are grapefruit juice, tomato juice and lemonade because of their high acidic content. If you want to succeed with your whitening, you want to watch what you are eating for success.
We all want a bargain, but watch out for flash sales on tooth whitening kits. Often, the reason why these kits are on sale is because they are close to their expiration date. If you plan on using the product before it expires you are fine, but if you think it might be a while, don’t purchase the product. Whitening gel’s main ingredient for whitening is hydrogen peroxide. Over time, hydrogen peroxide changes to water and oxygen. If you try and use a whitening kit after its expiration date, chances are you will only be getting gel and water as the oxygen will have leaked from the package. The oxygen is the key component for whitening your teeth. For best results with whitening, throw away any product you find in your home that has passed its expiration date.
If you are planning on hitting the grocery store and then leaving them in the car, don’t make this trip the one when you pick up your whitening products. Heat can inactivate the peroxide in whitening strips,so leaving them in a hot car while you run errands is a bad idea. On the flip side, if you don’t plan to use your whitening products right away, storing them in the refrigerator can help to extend their shelf life.
Most over-the-counter whitening kits recommend an application every six months. To keep your smile looking bright, and to avoid having to undergo the initial whitening process all over again, try doing one day’s whitening application once or twice a month. Be careful not to apply the strips more often than that, though, since overuse can irritate gums.
We all want to find ways to stretch our budget, but when it comes to whitening kits, this is not an area you want to choose the generic version over the name brand version. Generic whitening kits may contain the same active peroxide ingredient, but they are not tested to ensure effectiveness. Furthermore, with generic versions you can’t be certain how some of the differing inactive ingredients will interact with the peroxide. Dentist-dispensed and over-the-counter, home-use tooth whitening bleaches are eligible for the ADA Seal of Acceptance. The products in this category that currently bear the ADA Seal contain 10 percent carbamide peroxide; however, participation in the program is not limited to products of this concentration or type of bleach and are recommended for your use. Look for this seal of acceptance on your tooth whitening products to ensure their effectiveness or talk with your dentist.
For more What Ingredients Should I Avoid in Teeth Whitening Strips?information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.