Crest Crest 3D White Strips Enamel Safe Vivid Dental Whitening

()Having used the Crest Whitestrips in the past as well as a mold tray from my Dentist, I believe that the results from the Dentist are much better.Cost is an interesting consideration mostly because my Dentist gives the peroxide gel away for free upon request after a normal visit (I suppose he's making enough profit from the visit to give away some whitening gel).While I know this is not standard practice for all dentists, I have heard similar stories from friends which makes me think it is becoming more common.That being said, the Whitestrips are much easier to get a hold of and therefore more accessible to the general public.

For general use, I have found that the Whitestrips are the best "over the counter" solution on the market.Far better than the gimmicky whitening toothpaste or mouthwash (that have never whitened anything as far as I could tell) or even the boil-and-use trays.

The benefits are simple your teeth get whitened (two to four shades seems average).

The disadvantages are a bit more complex.

I do not have sensitive teeth, however after using the Whitestrips my teeth did hurt in a sharp, achy sort of manner (this was not while eating).This sensation would occur around an hour or so after using the strips on teeth which had zero cavities during my last checkup (usually the front incisors the "thinnest" of teeth).I did not experience the same sensation with the peroxide from the dentist.It was not painful enough to stop using the strips, but enough to make you uncomfortable.

The strips also "slide" around and you get that really awesome "goo mouth" after leaving the strips on for the required half hour.Sometimes it was hard to tell whether or not the strips were actually on the parts of the teeth you wanted whitened, or if they had "crawled up" to some random location while being worn.

All-in-all, the Whitestrips do what they promise they whiten your teeth.However the general delivery method makes for a mediocre product.Also, just in case some of you still harbor any misconceptions, this needs to be said:

THERE ARE NO OVER THE COUNTER WHITENING AGENTS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR TEETH PERFECTLY WHITE!

Unless we're talking paint... then maybe.

The fact is that most of the "Hollywood" teeth you see now days are not whitened, they're veneers.Perfectly shaped, blindingly blue-white, and tightly packed with zero gaps.Those are not natural, and your teeth will never look like that by using Whitestrips alone.

As long as you understand that and just want your natural dull'ish teeth to be slightly whiter, then you have realistic goals in mind for this product.

()I drink a lot of coffee to keep me awake and a lot of tea to clear my congested sinuses.Consequently, my teeth suffer from staining.However, they are still reasonably white thanks to the toothpaste that I use as often as possible:Crest Baking Soda & Peroxide Whitening with Tartar Protection.I also use the Crest Pro-Health mouthwash.I have a lot of confidence in Crest products.

Nevertheless, every time I go to my dentist for my biannual cleaning and checkup, the hygienist tells me my teeth are stained and I should cut back on my coffee and tea.Fortunately for me, I received through the Amazon Vine Program a box of Crest 3D White Whitestrips Vivid.Because it was manufactured by Crest, I had little fear or worry about trying the product.

On 23 February 2010, I received the box of whitestrips.Inside are $9.50 worth of coupons for the 3D White Family of Crest products that include whitestrips, toothpaste, toothbrush and rinse.I carefully read the instructions on how to apply the strips, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and, most importantly, the always scary warnings about avoiding eye and skin contact.I scanned and posted all of the above documents.

While using the product, I never experienced a bad taste in my mouth and my gums were never sore or aching.There was a very slight odor of peroxide which is one of the main ingredients used to bleach the teeth.A couple of times I didn't thoroughly wash my hands after applying the strips and the peroxide caused small, white spots that burned slightly on my fingers.This is due to the fact that peroxide is a disinfectant used to kill germs.The white, burning spots quickly vanished after I washed my hands.I was able to talk with the strips in my mouth but I could not drink water or sing.

The strips themselves are a little difficult to apply evenly over the teeth.(I scanned and posted a pouch containing a whitestrip.)I tried to get as much of their surface on the front and back as possible without getting too much on the gums.The consumer must realize that these strips are designed to only whiten the front of the teeth that are displayed when he/she smiles.The molars were not affected.

After only five days of using the strips, my teeth were noticeably whiter.Even a majority of the stain was gone from a crooked tooth in the center of my lower jaw.I was pleasantly surprised.At the end of ten days, on March 4th, my teeth appeared much whiter and brighter.

The only side effect I have experienced since using the Crest 3D White Whitestrips is some mild sensitivity.My teeth tingle when I drink cold or hot liquids.However, as the days pass, that seems to be dissipating.

I recommend using this product for whitening teeth prior to a very important social event where photographs will be taken such as a senior prom, wedding, class reunion, etc.I will definitely be using this product again.Maybe I'll use it before my next dental checkup in order to keep the hygienist from nagging me about drinking too much coffee and tea.

Joseph B. Hoyos

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()The first time I used Whitestrips was a decade ago; at the time I was reasonably happy with the result even though it took the better part of a month of two a day sessions. At least my teeth were whiter for the experience. Fast forward ten years to the last couple weeks with this product, and once a day treatments over ten days. They've certainly improved the results over the years.

What I like: the "3D" texture of the gel allows it to better fit in the gaps between teeth resulting in a more uniform whitening. Also, for whatever reason the coloring is more uniform up and down over the surface of the teeth; when I did it long ago there was a distinct banding effect, not with these. And despite being at least twice as quick as the original, it doesn't appear to be any harsher chemically.

What I don't like: the strips are hard to keep in place and slide all over the place if you have to speak; and gives speaking a bit of a lisp. It's hard to get the strips out of their individual containers; the pouches will tear but not open and if you reach in side you are likely to crumple a strip.

Still, I'm glad to be able to brighten my smile, and it seems a reasonable price to pay.

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These strips do indeed work as claimed to noticeably bleach out stains from teeth. The taste is not unpleasant and having the strips plastered on the teeth for thirty minutes is tolerable. Sometimes they didn't stay in place the full half hour and slid around. My tongue was not very happy about them being there and couldn't sit still.

I am a coffee and tea drinker and they certainly did make my teeth look cleaner and lighter, although my teeth are not very white naturally. This product is intended to restore your natural tooth color by removing stains and will not turn naturally ivory or yellow teeth a bright white.

There was noticeably increased sensitivity especially at some exposed roots. If you have sensitive teeth or exposed roots you may want to talk to your dentist about teeth whitening options before using this product.

The ideal user of this product is someone who has teeth that aren't sensitive but who has stains from drinking coffee or tea or from tobacco or other products like betel nut.

Two cautions: you are NOT supposed to brush your teeth before using the strips and you should wash your hands well after handling them. Read the instructions and precautions carefully!

Ingredients (with likely reason for inclusion in product)

Water (solvent, allows dilution)

Glycerin (humectant--provides moisture, affects viscosity)

Hydrogen Peroxide (whitener)

Carbomer (controls consistency of solution)

Sodium Hydroxide (lye, used to control pH)

Sodium Saccharin (artificial sweetener)

PVP and PEG-8 are listed as ingredients here on Amazon but not on the actual box of strips:

PVP (emulsifier--keeps particles in solution)

PEG-8 (humectant, solvent)

I received a free box of ten pouches through Amazon Vine to review.

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()I've used other teeth whitening products, though none of them were strips.I used these strips as intended, once a day over 10 days.By the third day, there was a significant change in shade.I also noticed in that timeframe that the flat faces of enamel lightened more than the curved planes, creating noticeable white spots.Those whiter areas make the surrounding enamel look darker than before.For that reason, it seems that using a brushed on gel or some other product in conjunction with these strips would bring a more even result.I also had fairly significant sensitivity in my teeth while using them.It quieted after a day or so of not using them.

The only thing holding the strips in place is hope.They are extremely thin (again, no basis for comparison), and once inserted, they don't adhere, just sort of glance.The top one stays in place fairly well, though at my stillest, the bottom one moves after a few minutes.Once it shifts or folds, it will only continue to shift until it's prematurely removed.It seems that if carefully removed after about 10 minutes, enough of the gel is left behind to still be moderately effective (that happened probably half the days) for the remaining time.

They do whiten very well for an OTC product, though not without a blattle.There was a dramatic difference over duration--more so than with any other OTC whitener I've used (including brush on gels, tooth paste, and washes).I can only imagine what a better job they would have done had both strips stayed in place the full time.The strips worked well enough for a trial, but there is no way I would spend $30 on this product.I would use these if they improved the strips to be more durable.Until then, I am more likely to use a professional product or a brush on gel, and just skip the whole strip business.

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