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The effectiveness of the Crest white strips depends largely on the size and shape of the user's mouth. The Crest strip covers the 6 front teeth. If a Crest strip user has a smiling mouth that shows more than those 6 front teeth, the Crest strips might not give that user effective tooth whitening.
While Crest strips do cover only the front 6 teeth, Crest strips do tend to be a bit larger than other strips. Crest strips are probably the best choice for someone with a large mouth. Of course, someone who deserves mention in the Guinness Book of World Records might not feel satisfied with the teeth whitening achieved by use of Crest strips.
The effectiveness of any product can be more easily ascertained when it is judged against some sort of "gold standard." In relation to Crest test strips, the whitening tray serves as the gold standard. How does the whitening obtained with Crest strips compare to the whitening obtained with a whitening tray, one that relies on 10% carbamide peroxide?
For some people, the Crest strips create a real challenge. Some people encounter difficulties, when they try to apply the strips to their teeth. Their struggles might lead them to wonder just how to whiten teeth.
Some users of Crest strips praise the stickiness of the strips (a feature that can make application a challenge). Those users say that the Crest strips do not dislodge easily. Some other strips do come off with ease, sometimes even before they are supposed to come off.
Crest strips do offer something not found in all teeth whitening products. They give the user a consistent amount of whitener. Each strip has the same amount of whitener. Use of a whitener in a tray does not always have that same level of consistency.
The user of Crest strips should understand that whitening strips do not come under the same controls as medication. They are not regulated by the FDA. That being said, it should be noted that Crest whitening strips do undergo an extensive testing procedure.
Most users of Crest strips appreciate the need for hand washing, before application of the strips. Strip users do not want to get dirt or germs in their mouth, even if it does make their teeth whiter. Strip users should know that they must also wash their hands after they have applied the Crest strips. Chemicals on the strips can transfer to the fingers, and they can irritate the skin on those digits.
The ability of those chemicals to irritate the skin raises a question concerning the strength of the chemicals in the Crest strips. Are they strong enough to kill the germs that cause gingivitis? The chemicals used for professional teeth whitening are said to have the ability to kill any germs that can cause bad breath.
The effectiveness of Crest whitening strips derives from the characteristics of film chemistry. The thin film created by the strip must perform the work of a dentist's gel in a tray. The effectiveness of that thin film disappears, if the Crest strips are not applied correctly. Crest strips will be most effective, when the user of those strips can follow the directions inserted into the strip package.
When purchasing Crest strips, a consumer should keep in mind the fact that there are two kinds of Crest strips. Professional strips can be purchased by consumers who shop online. Professional Crest strips contain 6.5% hydrogen peroxide. Original Crest strips contain only 5.3% hydrogen peroxide.
Both professional strips and original strips are meant to be used two times per day. The user keeps the strips on his or her teeth for a 30 minute interval.
