Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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415 of 419 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Crest White Strips Do Work - Take it From a Dentist!, August 3, 2005
I am a dentist who recommends Crest White Strips to my patients becasue they do work to whiten teeth. However, they have to be used correctly and I recommend that you follow the directions exactly as specified inside the box.
1. First brush your teeth to remove the layer of plaque. Your teeth have pores and the pores need to be open for the chemical to penetrate.
2. Use the strips twice per day for maximum efectiveness. The inner part of the strip has a chemical called carbamide peroxide (a 6% form of hydrogen peroxide; in-office dental whitening uses a 15-30% version of the same chemical) that causes the stains inside your teeth to be oxidized and turn white. Applying the strips has a small learning curve as you will probably bend or fold a couple of them before you get the technique down.
2. Leave the strips on for 30 minutes at a time. After thirty minutes your saliva has probably diluted the peroxide to the extent that it is no longer effective. You can reapply a new strip immediately if you chose, for the treatment requires one hour of treatment time per day to work. It does not matter if you do this in one continuous 60-minute period or two 30-minute periods. Do this for two weeks and your teeth will get whiter.
Disadvantages
1. The chemical can and probably will "burn" your gums. If you notice a burning sensation when you use the product, it is the chemical oxidizing (or burning) your gums. Depending on how severe the burning is, it may cause you to want to stop the treatment. It is OK to stop the treatment for a day or two to let the gums heal. Once they are normal again, resume treatment with the White Strips.
2. Your teeth may become senstiive during the two-week treatment time. Try to push yourself through the sensitivity if it is mild, but if more severe, take a day or two off to let the teeth settle down and then pick up where you left off.
3. The strips only cover your front teeth, so only your front teeth will bleach. You may notice the distinct difference between the back (unbleached) teeth and the front (bleached) teeth. Since most people notice the front 6 teeth anyway, this is not a big deal. However, if you have a wide toothy smile, you may want to have a dentist make you a tray that will hold the chemical on the back teeth to whiten them too.
3. The bleaching effect works best on yellow stains. If your stains are due to tetracycline (brownish grey stains in a band on your teeth, your best bet is to have a dentist whiten your teeth as the dentist will use a tray to hold a more concentrated form of the chemical on your teeth for a longer period of time. A dentist may also recommend an ultraviolet light bleaching which is costly, but works the best on these stains.
Crest White Strips work for the vast majority of people. They don't work as well or as fast as a dentist-made bleaching, but over time, you will get a result that will be close to that of a dentist, and you will save money too. In any event, it is a good place to start with bleaching, and if you are not satisfied with the results, you can then see your dentist for a more concentrated form of bleaching.
Jim "Konedog" Koenig, DDS
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44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They work!, August 2, 2006
First, this product really *does* whiten teeth--it's not a gimmick as some people think. (It uses a peroxide, which is probably how your dentist would do it, although this is a less concentrated form and takes two weeks.) Of course, it only whitens natural teeth, not dental work, but for most people, they should work.
Now, on to the product itself. Some people have complained about them being difficult to apply, but after the first couple strips I didn't have any problems, and even the first time I applied it I didn't fold a strip or mess up anything major. Keep in mind that some tooth sensitivity is normal; personally, mine was only mild at worst and really only noticeable right after I applied a strip, but I know some people who aren't as lucky. If this is you, using a toothpaste for sensitive teeth may help. Also keep in mind that eating, drinking, and probably talking (unless you have better luck than I) are pretty much out of the question while you're wearing these, but I simply did one application on my drive home from work and another later in the night. My only concern was that the strips, especially the top ones, are a bit short and only cover your front eight or so teeth, but for most people that shouldn't be a problem.
A year after my first use (teeth still looking good), I am currently using a generic brand--Equate, available from Wal-Mart for about $15, about $5 less than these--and have to say that I like Crest Whitestrips better because the strips are more flexible and easier to apply, and they stay in place better. The Equate ones have a bit harder plastic and tend to slide off my teeth if I open my mouth. Hardly worth it to save $5.
It is also worth noting there are two other versions of Whitestrips: Premium and Premium Plus. Both contain a more concentrated peroxide that works in less time (7 and 10 days, respectively [the 10-day version is the same as the 7-day version but includes three extra days of strips for extra whitening], as opposed to the 14 of this Classic version) but are more expensive and--based on their reviews--seem to cause more problems with sensitivity and such. Therefore, unless you're in a hurry, I think you'd be fine with these.
In summary, I am happy with this product and think that most people would be, too. Not bad for the price (certainly cheaper than a professional whitening), and they really do whiten!
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35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great product, June 29, 2006
I love this product. It is true what other say about the sensitivity. I would recommend using sensitivity toothpaste while you are using the strips, it helped for me. It made my teeth noticeably whiter. I would suggest you take a picture of yourself smiling before and after. I noticed the whiteness of my teeth when I saw a picture taken recently and I couldn't believe how nice they looked. I just had to dig up an old picture to compare and it was a big difference. After I have noticed this in the new picture, I love smiling for pictures now and showing my teeth. I was alway self conscious about it before. That alone makes it worth the price.
I was very satisfied with my results. Make sure to read all the instructions before using.
It just became a part of my bedtime routine, not a bother at all. I just put one on while I was watching my evening TV programs and just kept an eye on the clock.
Also, I recommend that after you have finished your pack that you use the Crest whitening toothpaste. It really helps to keep your teeth staying white.
Great product and it was recommended to me by my dentist.
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