OTC Teeth-Whitening Products Bring Smiles

More and more people are becoming interested in improving the appearance of their smiles. A variety of OTC products are now available, and a recent study examined the efficacy of 1 such product.

In a clinical trial (published in the November 2002 Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry) of a ?paint-on? liquid whitening gel containing 18% carbamide peroxide (Colgate^? Simply White), 80 healthy participants were balanced into 2 groups. The first group used the product for 30 minutes twice daily for 2 weeks, while the other group used a placebo gel.

The results:

? Patients using the whitening gel had whiter teeth at the end of the trial

? They also reported that the product was easy to apply and did not interfere with their speech or lifestyle