Crest White Strips

[Ruttiger]

Worth the money or a waste of time? I had an ugly realization earlier this week when looking at a picture that the time has come to whiten my teeth. Are the white strips a viable, cheaper alternative to having it done professionally or are they a waste of money? Experiences anyone?

[MissTeeks]

I find they don't work very well if you don't have perfectly straight teeth, Mine are quite crooked and the strips don't lay flat so they fall off very easily.

[Ruttiger]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

I find they don't work very well if you don't have perfectly straight teeth, Mine are quite crooked and the strips don't lay flat so they fall off very easily.

Yeah, I was wondering how well they would get in and work on the nooks and crannies and curved parts of the tooth as well.

[Tyler]

FYI

Best time to start using white stripes is right after you get a teeth cleaning.

That way there is no built up debris on your teeth.

I use them twice a year and get lots of compliments

[Mango]

Originally Posted by Tyler

Best time to start using white stripes is right after you get a teeth cleaning.

Same here. I found that when I first started using it, my teeth would be slightly more sensitive to cold food and drinks. That was the only draw back for me. They work great, though. I found them to be well worth the price.

[worth]

what exactly do the strips do? i know they make your teeth whiter...but how?

[fredr123]

I was concerned about the yellow tinge of my teeth. My dentist recommended that I try these before I pay him to bleach my teeth. If he's willing to forgo cash from a willing client to recommend this product, I have to assume they're pretty good. Or my dentist is a loon. One of the two.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by fredr123

My dentist recommended that I try these before I pay him to bleach my teeth.

Mine did the same thing. I had a root canal done after a soccer injury and the dead nerves started to change the color of a couple of my teeth. My health care wouldn't cover the bleaching because they said it was cosmetic, so he recommend Crest White Strips.

[FlamesPuck12]

Use whiteout, it works better :P

[Temporary_User]

I used them... I use the crest ones for 5 minutes a day. You're supposed to use them every day...
I was decent about it, and probably used them for about a month, only missing a few days here and there...
That was about 6 months ago, I really noticed a difference! I should probably use them again. Ill start today.

I would like to try the ones where you use them for 30 minutes a day for a week. I don't know if I could handle it in for 30 minutes though...

Oh and I don't have the straightest teeth, and didn't find any problems with them holding.
For comfort reasons, I only use one at a time though (top, and tbottom seperatly)

[maverickstruth]

I used the premium ones on dentist recommendation as well (apparently the regular ones are pretty useless when compared to the premium ones, for a marginal price difference). They worked pretty well for me, and my teeth aren't the straightest. Cheaper than a dentist-bleaching, and I was happy enough with the results.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by worth

what exactly do the strips do? i know they make your teeth whiter...but how?

I asked my hygenist this question, and she gave me some long-winded diatrbibe about molecules and polymers and other stuff I can't remember.

Edit: According to Wikipedia:

The procedure to bleach teeth uses oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to lighten the shade of the tooth. The oxidizing agent penetrates the porosities in the rod-like crystal structure of enamel and oxidizes interprismatic stain deposits; over a period of time, the dentin layer, lying underneath the enamel, is also bleached.

[fredr123]

I didn't end up trying them. I drink a ton of coffee and a moderate amount of cola and tea. These things, I am told, are primarily responsible for my staining and if I were to continue to indulge in them while I was using the strips, they would have an even greater staining effect. Something to do with the strips causing the pores in your teeth to open up to get the crap out but also allowing new crap in. I think that's the scientific explanation anyway.

[Got Miikka?]

I sent mine back to Crest for a refund that never came. A phone call to an irritable and unhelpful Crest phone center employee was made to no avail.

[The Fonz]

Will crest white strips work properly if part of my tooth is fake?

I chipped one of my front teeth, and had it fixed. At the time, they made it look the same color as my teeth were. So now, if I started using crest strips, would I wind up with white teeth except for the chipped part which would remain the same color?

I don't want to have multicolored teeth...

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Will crest white strips work properly if part of my tooth is fake?

I chipped one of my front teeth, and had it fixed. At the time, they made it look the same color as my teeth were. So now, if I started using crest strips, would I wind up with white teeth except for the chipped part which would remain the same color?

I don't want to have multicolored teeth...

I don't think they'll work for you.

[burnin_vernon]

Try pre-rinsing with Plax. My mom used to have a mild case of smokers teeth and this stuff pretty much took it away over time.

[Dion]

Dentists Frown at Overuse of Whiteners

Dentists generally consider whitening to be a safe treatment when patients, following a proper dental exam, choose a bleaching product from a reputable brand, adhere to package instructions and don't overdo it. But tooth bleaching was never intended to become a daily grooming habit like shampooing or shaving. And some dentists suspect that uninterrupted whitening, using a hodgepodge of high-strength products, not only will make teeth more sensitive, but may also cause permanent damage to tooth enamel and gum tissue.

The peroxides used in tooth bleach, hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide (which contains hydrogen peroxide) produce free radicals that can damage cells of the gums or pulp inside teeth, said Dr. Yiming Li, the director of the Center for Dental Research at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in California. "The lower your overall exposure," Dr. Li said, "the lower your risk."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/fa...es/17skin.html

[ZDogg]

Originally Posted by Got Miikka?

I sent mine back to Crest for a refund that never came. A phone call to an irritable and unhelpful Crest phone center employee was made to no avail.

I used that guarantee thingy a couple years ago when they first came out. I eventually did get a cheque from them but i'm not sure how long it took. Did you send a letter explaining the lack of whitening? Mine actually worked pretty good but I decided to abuse the system for my $80 back (I had paid for a double pack).

[Eastern Girl]

I used them and they did work well, but after repeated use, my teeth were ridiculously sensitive. I had to stop using them.