Peer to Peer: ACCLEAN Professional Teeth Whitening Strips

VERONICA ROCKWITZ,

RDH

Veronica started her career as a Registered Dental Hygienist in 1995 and has worked in practices in NY, NJ, and GA that provide world-class dentistry. Through continuing education, networking with other healthcare professionals, and staying abreast of the latest advancements in dentistry, Veronica has developed into a leader in her fi eld. She works as a consultant for both a global dental products company and a dental hygiene consulting fi rm while continuing to practice clinically. Through all her roles, she looks to empower other hygienists to grow personally and professionally to help them realize their full potential. Veronica lives in Alpharetta, GA, is married and the mother of two children.

ACCLEAN Professional Teeth Whitening Strips

Dissolvable strips enable whitening on the go with no messy residue left on teeth

While many patients turn to whitening strips to get the whiter smile they’re after, traditional options can be a bit cumbersome. Not only do they tend to slide around during treatment, they can be difficult to take off. And then there’s the goop. Patients often complain about the residue that strips leave behind, making their teeth feel sticky and even a little gross.

Formulated with 10% hydrogen peroxide, the new ACCLEAN Professional Teeth Whitening Strips from Henry Schein Brand address all these issues, offering a convenient solution for busy patients who want a whiter smile. The strips dissolve in 15 minutes, so there’s no fighting to get them off. Because there’s only one strip each for the upper and lower teeth, they stay in place, giving patients a visibly whiter smile after using the ACCLEAN strips twice a day for 2 weeks.

“I’ve never been a big fan of wearing trays with whitening gel to maintain professional, in-offi ce whitening, so the dissolving strips are appealing to me.”

First Impressions

Veronica Rockwitz, RDH, recently took the strips for a test run and found them easy to use and apply. She has 21-year-old veneers and some recession at the margin that has the potential to stain from coffee, tea, and red wine. Her main goal was to get the stain above the veneer margin to disappear, and that’s exactly what happened.

Although she did not have much luck with other whitening products in the past, Rockwitz said she noticed results after the fi rst application of the ACCLEAN strips. What made the difference? The strips emulsify and then dissolve, she said, allowing the hydrogen peroxide to penetrate the areas that need it most. In her case, that’s at the root surface.

“I’ve tried other strips, but did not see the same results,” she said. “As the strips dissolved, the hydrogen peroxide was able to get into those areas at the margins very well and not cause my tissues to turn white or cause sensitivity. So, for someone like me, I love the product for effectiveness and prevention.” Rockwitz also appreciated that the strips dissolve quickly. She was able to put them on and go, making them both easy to use and convenient.

Health Benefits

Rockwitz also loves the idea of having the 10% hydrogen peroxide dissolving in the mouth for the antimicrobial benefits. Patients who present with gingivitis can kill bacteria while whitening their smile—without experiencing sensitivity.

“There is an antimicrobial benefit when low levels of hydrogen peroxide are used,” she said, “especially as the strips dissolve.”

“One thing I liked was that there wasn’t a burning sensation like I experienced with other traditional whitening strips I’ve used.”

– Stella Rockwitz

Teens Pleased with Results

Although Rockwitz hasn’t given the strips to patients yet—though she certainly would—she did have her 18-year-old twins, Max and Stella, try them out as well. Max had the best results and said he would use the strips again. He liked the fact that they dissolved in about 15 minutes, he said, because he didn’t have to worry about taking them off. He found them simple to use and was happy with the results.

“I liked how effective they were on my teeth, as they became much brighter and cleaner,” he said.

Stella, who experiences some degree of stain on her teeth from frequently drinking black tea, found that the strips helped to correct the staining over the course of a few treatments.

“The strips were very easy to use. Having used whitening strips before, using these was pretty self-explanatory,” Stella said. “One thing that I liked was that there wasn’t a burning sensation like I experience with other traditional whitening strips I’ve used.”

A Convenient Option 

Rockwitz can see offering these strips to patients who are interested in brightening their smile—either as their main form of whitening or as a booster to in-office treatments. “I’ve never been a big fan of wearing trays with whitening gel to maintain professional, in-office whitening, so the dissolving strips are appealing to me,” she said. “It’s all about ease of use and time.”

The ACCLEAN strips also are great for patients who are interested in professional whitening but are concerned about the cost of treatment. Since in-office whitening products tend to be expensive, many patients opt to put off treatment. ACCLEAN strips offer a cost-effective alternative that gives patients the brighter smile they’re after—they can quickly whiten their smile with a product that’s similar to over-the-counter treatments they may have used in the past, but that are even more convenient and provide better results.

“The biggest barrier I come up against in the dental office is time,” Rockwitz said. “My patients are busy people. If a whitening product is easy to use, fast on the uptake, and they see results quickly, patients will love it. Patients like options, especially ones that work and are affordable.”