I take it back. I take back my months-ago declaration that home whitening kits are always messy. Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal has changed things with a new adhesive technology that, when met with the moisture in your mouth, creates a firm temporary bond between the strip and your teeth.
The strips themselves are still easy to remove from the backing, but once you get them on teeth, they won’t budge when you talk, drink water (don’t be dorky and try to drink coffee) or even eat. Have no fear if you’ve popped them in and suddenly feel the urge to go for a run (I’m sure that happens) or feel like giving yourself a facial (I discovered the hard way that washing one’s face while wearing regular slippy strips = ick blegh).
Thanks to the adhesive quality of the gel, you won’t get stuff squishing out from under the strips, which means a much-reduced icky taste. Plus, when you remove them, you won’t be left with yucky goop on your teeth.
Let me recap the reason for bleaching one’s teeth if they’re not so white: Instant facelift. The increased contrast between skin and whiter teeth brightens the complexion and makes eye colour look more intense as well. You’ll look rested, refreshed, younger.
Actually, let me amend that to “near-instant” facelift — it’ll take 30 minutes per day for 14 days to finish the Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal strips (about $49.99 CAN/$39.99 US). And yes, you must use the whole kit to get the longest-lasting results, even if you get whiter teeth in the first three days. Finishing the kit as directed will cost you less in the long run because, unless you’re a chain smoker and serious coffee addict, you won’t have to bleach again for more than a year. If sensitivity becomes an issue, try every other day if you must, but get through it — a bright, white grimace is better than a yellowed smile.
If you’re going to make faces, you might as well look good doing it.
Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal is available at drugstores, mass retailers and at Well.ca (free shipping in Canada). Image courtesy of Crest.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It is good to know that Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal helps you attain a set of sparkling white teeth. Indeed there is nothing more beautiful than a bright and flashing smile. :-)
Agreed — white teeth is one of the best beauty boosts there is.
The crest white strips work great. Into the 2nd week, my teeth get really sensitive. Any suggestions on that?
I’m afraid there aren’t a lot of options there, Jennifer :-(. You could ease up and finish the box on an every-other-day schedule, but that will actually prolong the discomfort. The sooner you finish, the sooner the sensitivity will end.
Or perhaps try a toothpaste designed to reduce sensitivity. One school of thought that says a sensitive-teeth toothpaste might interfere by sealing the surface of the enamel and thus hindering the effects of the peroxide, but another says it won’t make a whitening difference. I doubt it’ll take effect soon enough to lessen the sensitivity significantly.
Whatever you decide, at least take small comfort in knowing the sensitivity will subside completely a couple of days after you finish the treatment. It’s ouchie, but pretty. Good luck!