Question:
Guide to at Home Teeth Whitening ?
Answer:
The Consumer's Guide to At Home Teeth Whitening
Tired of stained, yellow teeth? Want to give yourself a whiter smile
without having to spend hundreds of dollars? Then maybe you should
think about using at home teeth whitening products.
Does it Really Work?
In their January 2004 issue, Consumer Reports wrote "home kits work
and do whiten teeth for far less than you'd pay for a professional
treatment." But Consumer Reports was less enthuiastic about the level
of whitening. While most products did whiten teeth a considerable
number of shades, none of the whitening products produced "bombshell
white" in any of the testers. For those results, Consumer Reports
recommended having professional treatments administered by a dentist.
However, it warned that such treatments could cost hundreds of
dollars, as well as a lot of time in the form of repeat visits to the
dentist's office.
So, should you still try at home teeth whitening? Of course! At only
fifteen to thirty dollars per whitening kit, Consumer Reports
suggested giving Crest Whitestrips and Colgate Simply White Night Gel
a try. Both were ranked highy, (Colgate Simply White Night was ranked
higher with a rating of "very good") and in both products, tester's
found that applicable was easy, taking less than a minute. Consumer
Reports did warn against certain products, these include, Rembrandt's
2-hour white because of the irritation it caused to some of the
tester's gums, as well as regular Colgate Simply White (since the
White Night Gel was found to be more less of a hassle to apply and
even more effective, though they both cost the same price.)
Crest Whitestrips Vs. Gels (ex. Colgate Simply White Night Gel)
The difference between Crest Whitestrips and Colgate Simply White
Night is that one is that one is worn during the day and the other is
worn during the night. Crest Whitestrips are almost invisible sticky
strips of peroxide (the active ingredient dentist's use teeth). They
are applied by peeling the strip from a sticky tape like peeling a
band aid and applying the strip to your teeth. They are surprisingly
sticky and do not fall off your teeth unless you peel them off. Crest
Whitestrips are usually worn twice a day for thirty minutes, or can be
worn back to back for a one hour application a day.
On the other hand, Colgate Simply White Night is a gel based solution
that is applied to the teeth when you sleep. It also contains
peroxide, but is applied in a different manner. Instead of wearing
strips, you "paint" your teeth by using a small brush that resembles
whiteout. The solution is then left on over night. In the morning, you
simply brush your teeth as normal. There is enough solution in the
bottle to last two weeks (the recommeneded time).
Consumer Reports said that neither are flavored, and that after a few
days, most testers got accustomed to either method. The difference in
the tester's level of whitening was affected not so much by the
product, but by the length of time which the testers used the product.
Crest Whitestrips and Colgate Simply White Night had a suggested usage
of 14 days. But when a tester prematurely stopped usage of the
product, their level of whiteness was not as good as a tester who had
completely used the product. So in determining whether to buy Crest
Whitestrips or Colgate Simply White Night, the number one factor to
consider is what you think would be easier to apply. Ask yourself,
would you still be able to sleep soundly if you had a gel in your
mouth, or would it be easier for you if you applied two sticky strips
to your teeth during the day.
Final Remarks
One last note is that both Crest and Colgate recommend continued usage
of their products. Both Crest Whitestrips and Colgate Simply White
Night say that their effects last twelve months. Also, if you use
their products for four weeks instead of two, the total level your
teeth will whiten will increase. Crest is even starting to produce a
twin pack, and in most internet stores, some form of discounted
shipping is offered if you buy more than a certain amount However, if
you're still skeptical about at home teeth whitening kits, it might be
a good idea to just buy one package for now. After all, most at home
teeth whitening kits (including Crest Whitestrips and Colgate Simply
White Night) offer a sixty-day money back policy if you're not
satisfied.
Yale Wang is the founder and webmaster of http://www.whitekit.com , a
successful beauty company devoted to information and products about at
home teeth whitening.
