Nowadays, most drug stores offer a wide range of teeth whitening products, including the most popular option on the market: Crest Whitestrips. These products are supposed to whiten your teeth and make them look healthy and natural.
But do Crest Whitestrips work? How? And are there any cons to using them? Stay tuned to find out!
What Are Crest Whitestrips?
Image source: Pinterest
Crest Whitestrips are tiny strips of thin plastic coated with teeth whitening gel. The gel is based on either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Dentists use the very same ingredients to whiten your teeth, but the strips contain them in lower concentrations.
Do Crest Whitestrips Work?
Yes, they do. As mentioned above, the strips are coated in a gel that contains teeth whitening agents. These agents penetrate your enamel and remove all stains and yellowing on the surface of your teeth.
Of course, the strips cannot fix severe damage to your teeth. You should only use them to make your teeth look whiter and healthier, especially if you have naturally yellowish teeth due to stronger pigmentation.
How to Use Crest Whitestrips
To use the strips, you will need to cut them to the exact height of your upper and lower teeth. Place the strips on your teeth so that the side with the gel is against your teeth, and press until the strips stick to your teeth.
You should leave the strips to work for up to five minutes. It’s best to follow the instructions provided with the Whitestrips you get. Do so, and you should be fully safe.
After you remove the strips, rinse your mouth with water and wait for around half an hour before brushing your teeth. Repeat the entire process for as many days as the instructions say, and you should be left with a shiny smile.
Pros and Cons of Using Crest Whitestrips
Image source: Pinterest
Pros
-
Affordability
Crest Whitestrips are the most inexpensive teeth whitening treatment out there. You can just get it at your local drug store and use it by yourself. If you were to have your teeth whitened at a dentist’s office, you would have to pay a lot more.
-
Efficiency
You only need a few minutes every day to administer the strips and let them do their magic. They work on most people, and they have lasting effects if you follow the instructions carefully.
-
No Side Effects
Most of the time, the strips work perfectly and have no adverse side effects. You can use them safely and trust that no harm will come to your teeth.
Cons
-
Enamel Damage
If you overuse the strips or leave them on for too long, they could damage your enamel. Thus, always make sure you remove them on time and only use them for as long as the instructions or your dentist advises.
-
They Might Fail
There have been reports that the adhesive that helps the strips stick to your teeth can fail from time to time. To ensure that doesn’t happen, try to look for strips with great reviews and don’t hesitate to spend a bit more money on them. When it comes to products like this, a higher price often does equal higher quality.
-
The Process Might Not Work
There are certain stains and discoloration that whitening strips simply cannot remove. These include discoloration due to any tetracycline antibiotics you took as a child or any severe trauma to the teeth.
In such cases, Crest Whitestrips might even make matters worse. They can make the healthy parts of your teeth look whiter and healthier but not affect the stained parts at all. That will, in turn, make the discoloration only stand out more. If you have severe damage, it is, therefore, best to discuss other treatment options with your dentist.
Featured image source: Pinterest.com