Using Crest Whitestrips ® provides a way by which a person can obtain teeth whitening effects without the use of bleaching trays. Both custom fabricated and stock whitening trays can be problematic for some people. Trays can be cumbersome and bulky, and possibly even a source of gum irritation. Any of these factors can interfere with a person's whitening activities.
Crest Whitestrips is a registered trademark of the Proctor & Gamble Company.
One criticism of Crest Whitestrips ® is the fact that (related to their length) they can only be used to whiten a person's front teeth. Other types of at-home teeth whitening products don't have this limitation and can be used to lighten both front and teeth further back. As another consideration, some people may feel that Whitestrips don't stay in place as well as a well crafted bleaching tray will.
Since Crest Whitestrips ® are simply a variation on the technique of peroxide-based teeth whitening they can be expected to cause the same type of side effects that other peroxide bleaching techniques do. The two most common of these side effects are:
- tooth sensitivity
- gum irritation
Some studies seem to have found a higher incidence of side effects with whitening strips than with tray-based at-home teeth whitening using 10% carbamide peroxide, but others have not. When present, typically, the side effects created by Crest Whitestrips ® do not interfere with a person's bleaching activities and they usually subside within a few days after the whitening treatment has been completed.
Our pages describing
common side effects associated with peroxide-based teeth whiteners goes into more detail about the typical complications encountered when using peroxide-based teeth whitening agents. Essentially all of the information found on these pages is derived from studies evaluating tray-based whitening technique utilizing 10% carbamide peroxide (which is roughly equivalent to 3.5% hydrogen peroxide). Since Whitestrips utilize higher levels of peroxide (6% hydrogen peroxide concentrations and above) you will simply need to review this information and formulate your own conclusions.
Crest Whitestrips ® are unique in the fact that the bleaching agent is pre-applied and therefore the amount of peroxide delivered to the teeth and oral environment per bleaching treatment is standardized. With other types of at-home teeth whitening products there can be quite a bit of variability in the amount of whitener the user dispenses for each bleaching treatment.
Crest Whitestrips ® (the original version) are coated with a 6% hydrogen peroxide bleaching gel. In comparison the 10% carbamide peroxide whitener typically used in tray-based bleaching technique delivers a concentration of 3.5% hydrogen peroxide to the tooth surface. At first glance this comparison would lead one to anticipate that the dosing of hydrogen peroxide when using the Crest Whitestrips ® product would be about twice as much as when utilizing the tray-based technique.
Research sponsored by Proctor & Gamble has estimated that (related to the nature of the whitening strips technology and the fact that the bleaching agent is pre-applied) one-half to one-fifth as much bleaching agent is utilized with Crest Whitestrips ® (the original product) as when a person whitens their teeth with the typical tray-based teeth whitening methodology (where the design of the tray and the amount of bleaching agent applied can vary greatly between individual users). This would imply that a person's total peroxide dosing when using the original Crest Whitestrips ® product might be similar in nature as when utilizing a 10% carbamide peroxide bleaching technique.
The information on our pages that discuss
safety concerns associated with peroxide-based teeth whiteners is primarily drawn from studies involving tray-based whitening using 10% carbamide peroxide, but it may help you gain some insight to safety considerations of peroxide whiteners in general.
Some studies have specifically investigated what effect Crest Whitestrips ® might have on teeth themselves. Of these that we have reviewed none found any changes in the surface morphology, microhardness, or fracture susceptibility of teeth related to the use of the strips.