Relative Efficacy of Two Marketed Hydrogen Peroxide Whitening Strips

Objective: Efficacy of two marketed hydrogen peroxide whitening strip regimens was compared in this randomized, examiner-blinded clinical trial. Methods: A total of 57 healthy adult volunteers were randomized to one of the two treatments: Listerine Whitening® Quick Dissolving Strips (LWQD strip) or 6% hydrogen peroxide Crest® Whitestrips® (control strips). Both products were used twice daily for 14 days per manufacturer's instructions: LWQD were worn until completely dissolved and the control strips were worn for 30 min per application. Efficacy was measured objectively as L*a*b* color change using digital images of the maxillary anterior teeth at Baseline, Day 8, and Day 15. Results: The average age of study participants was 42.1 and 63% were females. At Day 8, adjusted mean (SE) Δb* was –0.82 (0.12) for the LWQD strip and –1.32 (0.12) for the control strip while adjusted mean (SE) ΔL* was 0.97 (0.14) and 1.75 (0.14) for the LWQD and the control strips, respectively. At the end-of-treatment at Day 15, adjusted mean (SE) Δb* was –1.50 (0.17) for the LWQD strip and –2.03 (0.16) for the control strip. For ΔL*, end-of-treatment, adjusted means (SE) were 1.33 (0.20) for the LWQD strip compared to 2.06 (0.18) for the control strip. Groups differed significantly for both Δb* and ΔL*at the end-of-treatment (p ≤ 0.03) and at Day 8 (p < 0.005) favoring the control strip. No product-related adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Use of the 6% hydrogen peroxide control strip provided superior whitening versus a dissolving hydrogen peroxide whitening strip.