Method: After IRB review, informed consent was obtained from adult volunteers with no prior history of tooth whitening. Balancing for baseline, enrolled subjects were randomly assigned to a 10% hydrogen peroxide Strip group (Crest® 3D White Whitestrips® Vivid) or a hydrogen peroxide Wrap group (Equate 7-Day Dental Whitening System Advanced Whitening Wraps). All products were allocated in blinded test kits with standard anticavity toothpaste and toothbrush. Usage followed marketed instructions, which for the Strip group represented 30 minutes use daily for 10 days compared to 30 minutes daily for 7 days for the Wrap group. Efficacy was measured instrumentally as L*a*b* color change from digital images of the maxillary anterior teeth at Baseline and Day 11.
Result: Mean (SD) age of the 74 completed subjects was 39.5 (12.7) years. Relative to baseline, both groups exhibited significant (p ≤ 0.0001) improvement in yellowness (–Db*) and lightness (+DL*). Comparing treatments, the adjusted mean (SE) Db* was –1.88 (0.12) and –1.29 (0.12) for Strip and Wrap groups, respectively. Results were generally similar for DL*, with the two-parameter color response significantly (p<0.03) greater for the Strips versus Wraps. Both products were well-tolerated, transient tooth sensitivity represented the most common adverse event type, and no subjects discontinued treatment early due to adverse events.
Conclusion: In head-to-head clinical research, use of 10% hydrogen peroxide whitening strips resulted in 29-44% greater whitening compared to the marketed whitening wrap system.