If you visit your local pharmacy, you’ll likely see many products claiming to whiten your teeth. Home teeth whitening products first became available in the 1980sTrusted Source, and now they seem to be everywhere. But do teeth whitening strips and other whitening products actually work? The short answer is yes. Teeth whitening strips can whiten your teeth by a shade or two and can act in as little as a few days. But home products aren’t usually as effective as in-office dental whitening techniques. They also come with some risks such as increased tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. Keep reading to learn about how teeth whitening strips work and which types of products are most effective.