Summary of findings 12. HP strips versus HP gel in tray for whitening teeth.
| Hydrogen peroxide (HP) strips compared to HP gel in tray for whitening teeth | ||||||
| Patient or population: adults undergoing bleaching Setting: home‐based Intervention: HP strips Comparison: HP gel in tray | ||||||
| Tooth whitening ‐ assessed by the dentist | ||||||
| Comparisons | Anticipated absolute effects* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | Number of participants (studies) | Certainty of the evidence (GRADE) | Comments | |
| Risk with HP gel in tray | Risk with HP strips | |||||
| 14% HP strip versus 9.5% HP gel in tray ‐ 22 days (higher shade indicates whiter) | The mean shade change for HP gel in tray was ‐1.75 | Mean difference was 1.40 higher for the strip group (2.35 lower to 0.45 lower) | ‐ | 29 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ VERY LOW1, 2 | ‐ |
| 5.3% HP strip versus 5% HP gel in tray ‐ 18 months (higher shade indicates whiter) | The mean shade change for HP gel in tray was ‐ 6.35 | Mean difference was 0.06 higher for the strip group (2.36 lower to 2.24 higher) | ‐ | 28 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ VERY LOW1, 2 | ‐ |
| Patient comfort | ||||||
| 5.3% HP strip versus 5% HP gel in tray | The mean patient acceptance for HP gel in tray was 2.23 | Mean difference in patient acceptance was 1.27 lower for the strip group (0.13 higher to 2.41 higher) | ‐ | 28 (1 RCT) | ⊕⊝⊝⊝ VERY LOW1, 2 | ‐ |
| Adverse effects | ||||||
| Tooth sensitivity and oral irritation were mild and transient and did not differ between the groups | ||||||
| *The risk in the intervention group (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI) CI: confidence interval; RCT: randomised controlled trial | ||||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High certainty: we are very confident that the true effect lies close to that of the estimate of the effect Moderate certainty: we are moderately confident in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different Low certainty: our confidence in the effect estimate is limited: the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect Very low certainty: we have very little confidence in the effect estimate: the true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect | ||||||
1Downgraded for risk of bias ‐ unclear risk of bias due to lack of selection, performance and detection bias. 2Downgraded for imprecision ‐ single trials, low sample and event rate.