Amazon.com Customer Reviews
Works well; somewhat awkward - Review written on March 29, 2008
Rating: 4 out of 5
Though these things certainly do what they advertise (the coffee stains on my teeth are nearly gone), they are not as convenient as advertised. As many will remember, the original advertisement for these strips showed them being used while the female character window-shopped, which showcased the easy-to-use nature of this product. Though I doubt no one attempted such a 'feat,' I don't think people realize the discomfort of using these.
As other reviewers have probably noted, the chemical used does sometimes burn gums; while it isn't terribly painful, it is somewhat annoying. Secondly, the strips don't always stay in place, so they sometimes require more attention than one would want to devote to such a process.
However, despite these few annoyances, this product does work well and I would certainly go through the hassle of it all to conceal the damning evidence my coffee addiction.
Wonderful - Review written on April 19, 2007
Rating: 5 out of 5
2 customers found this review helpful, 1 did not.
I was very unsure about buying these, because I felt like the whole idea was just too simple. They worked wonders though.
My two front teeth have always been very white, whereas all the teeth on the sides were quite stained. Just the fact that my two front teeth were whiter made the stains so much more noticeable.
So, I bought theses and cut the strips so that I could use them on my side teeth only, and it only took around five days for the teeth on the side to match my front teeth. It was very, very easy, and gave such great results.
Be warned though, this product does make your teeth very sensitive and it can be painful. It says on the box that you can do both half hour sessions back to back, but I think it's better to give your teeth a bit of a break. If you haven't noticed though, I still put five stars. I just think that the bit of sensitivity you'll have to endure is so worth the results.
So far.. - Review written on April 12, 2007
Rating: 3 out of 5
5 customers found this review helpful.
I'm only on day two, but my teeth seem noticably whiter, which is a shock, because my teeth are relatively white to start and it's hard to find a product that makes any difference at all. It was very painful to apply them today, the peroxide burned my gums very much to the point where they turned white near my teeth. I toughed it out though, and the pain wore down after a few minutes. I did have problems all day though, it was a constant pain in my upper and lower teeth, I'm really hoping it's just temporarily sensativity. I also recommend applying lipbalm before using, because your teeth will probably get chapped. Let's hope the pain dies down, because they seem to be working!
Did the Job - Review written on January 29, 2007
Rating: 5 out of 5
9 customers found this review helpful.
I used this product at the suggestion of my dental hygienist prior to having some dental veneers replaced. I read the reviews and I had some misgivings about using an over-the-counter product but it was fine.
The Results: I am pleased with the results. The strips lightened my teeth noticably. I do not have "chiclet" teeth, that blue white luminous shade that, frankly, looks artificial but my teeth are cleaner and whiter than before. I had my new veneers prepped today and the dentist commented that I had lightened my teeth, that they looked very nice and that the product worked well for me.
The Process: I found the product fairly easy to use after a couple of applications. There is a technique but it was easy enough to get the hang of it. The gel adhered well to the surface of the tooth and I always had a lot of gel left on my teeth when I removed the strip. From about day three to six, I found my gums and teeth a bit sensitive but I persisted and the sensation went away by the end of the ten days. I found that my lips dried out while I used the strips and it helped to apply lip balm before and after using the strips.
Some Tips: Wash your hands when you finish applying the strips so that you don't get white patches on your fingers. Rinse your mouth when you finish to reduce gum sensitivity. Find a couple of times during the day when you have enough time to concentrate on how you apply the strips. It's a small thing but I think it makes a difference to apply them well. As I said, you may want to apply something to your lips to keep them from drying out. You can anticipate some sensitivity. It was not a huge issue for me but I can see it might be for some.
The directions say that Crest Strips will not lighten dental work. It actually did lighten my old veneers a bit. However, if you have veneers that you are not planning to replace, you might not like the two-toned effect you get. So if you have cosmetic dental work, I'd suggest you ask your dentist before you try this product.
Well, it whitened... - Review written on May 10, 2006
Rating: 4 out of 5
14 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
I like a couple of things about this product:
1. It really does whiten.
2. It's very convenient (stick 'em on, go about your business)
3. 1 hour a day is pretty good for how well it whitened
Overall, I am glad I bought the product. It whitened, which is what it advertises, and I hardly felt any sensitivity. My only complaint was that after you took the slips off, there was this very goopy stuff (the gel, I know) on the backs of my teeth and I wasn't sure if I should spit it out, or leave it on. I would've preferred more in-depth instructions, also, but then again I tend to read instruction booklets word for word.
A far better alternative is available. - Review written on February 18, 2006
Rating: 3 out of 5
9 customers found this review helpful.
When I used these strips, I found that they were too flimsy, and therefore tended to bend back over themselves, making them difficult to apply. After they were applied to the teeth, they did not always stay in place and tended to slide around. Also, it is inconvenient to have to remove the strips, when they have done their work. For these reasons, I do not consider them to be the best alternative. A much better alternative is the dissolving whitening strips manufactured and distributed by CVS Pharmacy, Inc. These strips are less flimsy/ more firm and therefore don't stick onto themselves, they adhere to your teeth far better; AND they dissolve completely in about 5-7 minutes, leaving no messy residue or plastic film to have to discard. On size strip (larger than Crest's) fits both upper and lower teeth. The active ingredients are the same as Crest, but the cost is about half the cost of Crest. Superior to Crest in every way.
A Dentist Reviews This Product - Review written on August 24, 2005
Rating: 4 out of 5
253 customers found this review helpful, 3 did not.
I am a dentist who recommends Crest White Strips to my patients because 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 as stated on the box. The inner part of the strip has a chemical called carbamide peroxide (a 10% 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. Try to not ge the strip on your gums.
2. Your teeth may become senstiive during the two-week treatment time. Try to tolerate 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. You may notice much more sensitivity to cold water, ice cream, etc. The peroxide causes an inflamation of the inner pulp, or nerve center of the tooth and makes the teeth very sensitive to biting or cold drinks or foods. If your teeth become too sensitive, back off on the strips until the sensitivity is gone before resuming bleaching.
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 custom try 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.
The "Plus" designation of this product means you get three extra sets of strips compared to the regular box.
Jim "Konedog" Koenig, DDS
Works, but a bit of a pain! - Review written on August 21, 2005
Rating: 4 out of 5
7 customers found this review helpful.
Since I drink a lot of tea (hot and iced), my teeth were discolored. I had used Crest Whitestrips about 2 years ago, and they worked well. I thought I would try Whitestrips Premium Plus for a few more bucks. They did work really well, my teeth are whiter after using them. I agree with the reviewers that complain about how small the strips are, and the tendency of the lower strip, especially, to become dislodged by excess saliva. I found myself constantly in the mirror, rearranging the lower strip. The upper one rarely moved. I believe Crest needs to do some tweaking on that lower strip! But despite all the problems I had keeping the lower strip in place, my teeth look a lot better than before, so my goal was achieved!
Pointless compared to the regular Whitestrips Premium - Review written on July 02, 2005
Rating: 3 out of 5
15 customers found this review helpful, 2 did not.
Crest Whitestrips is an incredible product. It is virtually the same hydrogen peroxide bleaching solution that dentists use. It's amazing how much whiter they make your teeth after only a few days. I've been using them for a couple of years and decided to try the new "Whitestrips Premium PLUS." This product is exactly the same as the regular Whitestrips Premium, except the box it comes in has a window and it comes with 3 extra days of strips. The regular Whitestrips takes 7 days and this takes 10. After 7 days, your teeth are pretty much as white as they're going to get, and I didn't notice much of a difference from the additional 3 days. The "Plus" in the product's name seems to refer more to the much higher cost of this product.
If you're thinking about getting this, just realize that all it is is three more strips, so when you figure out how much you're being charged per strip, you may find you're paying considerably more for these poer strip than the regular Whitestrips Premium.
That being said, the strips are a great product and if you get them, make sure you buy some toothpaste for sensitive teeth because this product WILL make your teeth feel like they're on fire. It's definitely worth it though.