I posted this just a little while back in another Crest Whitestrip Post:
Tuesday, December 10, 2002 12:49 AM
Hi guys I'm a Dentist let me drop some knowledge on these Crest Strips and give you as much as I know. Let's actually begin with what has been proven effective in order of efficacy(lowest to highest).
"Whitening Toothpaste"- the toothpaste contains nothing more than normal fluoride dentrifices(toothpastes) and a special abrasive. The abrasive is the "whitening agent". That's what they don't tell you. There might be a little Hydrogen Peroxide in the toothpaste, but the only way you are going to get the Hydrogen Peroxide to work is to keep it on your teeth for 5+ hours(this is a low guess since the Hydrogen Peroxide has a concentration of >1 %). Now how long does it take to brush your teeth? 1 minute? 3 Minutes? You'd have to leave this stuff on your teeth for hours. "Whitening toothpaste" is not worth it, I even tell my patients the toothpaste that comes with the bleaching kits I sell are not worth using.
Crest Strips- I really like this product. Crest is a great company, they stand behind their product. I have a few patients who use the OTC version as well as the professional kits, and they love it. Hydrogen Peroxide is the "whitening agent" in this product. The OTC concentration of Crest Strips is 6.5%, in the professional kit the concentration is a bit higher(MSDS says 35% in solution). Now, the only issue I have against the strips is the application of the strip. The strip is placed over the teeth and sometimes the bleaching agent comes in contact with your gum tissues, tongue, and other soft tissues not meant to be bleached. It basically gets everywhere and is somewhat messy. If you have any kind of malocclusions, tipped, and/or rotated teeth I would not recommend the strips. It's a great product don't get me wrong, I prescribe a 20% Carbamide Peroxide bleaching tube and it is just as effective as the Professional Crest Strip Kit, as far as bleaching power. Let's move on to Dentist prescribed bleaching options.
Dentist-Prescribed - There are a bunch of options out there, whether you do a one stop in-office bleaching session or an at home kit. The in office bleaching session is where we can get out our "big-gun" bleach. We're talking 30-40% Carbamide Peroxide, it can bump almost anyone a few shades in less than an hour. The bleach is activated by heat from a powerful blue light. The blue light is usually a powerful halogen light. I was told by a bleaching expert that you could just use a blowdryer to activate the in-office bleach but that would probably scare everyone away. Okay possible side effects of an in-office session? Burns, burns, burns. Chemical burns are no joke, a little dab of this stuff on soft tissue will cause a burn if left more than 20 seconds sometimes less.
At home kits are in my opinion, the best option. What has to be done first is we make a mold of your mouth. This is done by taking an impression of your upper arch of teeth, then your lower arch. The impressions are then poured up and a custom tray is formed specifically for your teeth. The tray will only fit your mouth. This method of application of bleach gets the bleaching agent to the specific teeth. Minimal bleach comes in contact with your gums, provided the trays are made well and you wipe the excess bleach away. The only possible side effect with at home kits, as well as any other bleaching option is sensitivity. Whether it is tooth or gum sensitivity, the sensitivity is transient. Meaning, if you stop bleaching, the sensitivity will dissipate. The only issue with at home kits is price. Once you shell out the money for the trays however, the bleach is inexpesive. Trays can run you from 300-600$ depending on the dentist. Bleaching tubes (pack of four can last you up to a year--2 years if you refrigerate the pack) 20-50$.
Things you need to take care of before you bleach-- This is important, I tell all my patients this before I prescribe any bleaching product. Composite/Plastic/Tooth Colored fillings/Crowns/Porcelain inlays/onlays do not bleach like your natural teeth. If you bleach and have a lot of fillings/crowns that were done on the front 6-8 teeth, those teeth will be more noticeable(shades will not match) more after you bleach. What that means is you might have to have those fillings/crowns redone to match your new bleaching shade. Of importance also is your periodontal health. Teeth that are loose, have large cavities, have pain/sensitivity, are contraindicated for bleaching. Sorry I rambled a bit, any questions Dental-related please feel free to email me
napzard@yahoo.com 
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