Being addicted to a good cup of coffee, tea or wine, my teeth have seen brighter days. For almost five years now I have been whitening my teeth at least once a year, sometimes two times a year. In the media industry, which I work, it is extremely important to have bright white teeth, which is hard since I love drinks that are historically known to stain the teeth. For the last four years I have used Crest Whitestrips however just recently I tried Walgreens Whitening Dental Strips to see if there really is a difference between the name brand and the generic brand.
Both products are found in the dental section of most grocery and pharmaceutical stores, right next to the toothpaste and toothbrushes. When I first started whitening my teeth from store purchased products, there were only Crest Whitestrips for an option. Crest was the first in my area to come out with a home product that actually claimed to whiten teeth and actually worked. Now when you look in the dental aisle, there are more than five different choices along with whitening toothpaste options.
Since the beginning in 2001, mainly due to the popularity, the prices have increased to almost forty dollars in my area for a complete kit. In 2001, I used to pay around twenty dollars which at that time was a reasonable price. The Walgreens Whitening Dental Strips today are around twenty dollars and there are usually in-store discounts available which can knock off a few dollars. Therefore, the difference in the price between the two products are drastic, almost twenty dollars!
The Crest Whitestrips require a two week commitment with two applications a day. The Whitestrips come in a box which contains two smaller packages labeled ‘lower’ and ‘upper’. There should be 56 total strips: 28 strips for your upper teeth and 28 strips for your lower teeth. Each strip is also packaged in a thin sleeve that can be ripped open just by using your hands – there are no scissors required. Each Whitestrip always reminds me of a piece of tape since it is thin and clear. One side is smooth while the opposite side has tiny bubbles that contain the whitening gel. Take the Whitestrip from the individual package and rip it from the backing. Then, each strip is gently applied to the teeth. There is a tiny lip on each strip so that it can securely wrap under and over the teeth to cover the inside and outside of the teeth. These strips should stay on the teeth for around thirty minutes. After this time, peel off the strip and discard (they are not reusable). Since the gel seems to remain on the teeth, I like to gargle with some water or gently brush my teeth (minus toothpaste). Do this twice a day for fourteen days and your teeth will be whitened.
Walgreens Dental Strips are practically the same product however there are a few differences. First of all, the dental strips come in a blue box with two smaller packages that contain 28 strips for a total of fourteen days. This means there is only one application per day. The dental strips are all labeled either lower or upper. Each strip is placed in a sturdy plastic container instead of a sleeve. To open the package, just peel off the top cover to reveal the dental strip. The dental strip is a bendable plastic strip that is very sturdy. Place the dental strips on the teeth and wrap the leftover strip behind the teeth (just like the Crest Whitestrips). The material reminds me of the wax that people use when they have braces. Since it does have a waxy feeling, you can gently push on the strip to move close to the creases of the teeth. The dental strips will need to be left on for around thirty minutes once a day. Then, peel off the strips and discard (they are not reusable). Then, I like to gargle with some lukewarm water to get rid of the excess gel if there is any. After fourteen days, there is a drastic change in the appearance of your teeth!
Although both products are effective, I feel as though I like the Walgreen Whitening Dental Strips over the Crest Whitestrips kit. Not only is the Walgreens brand almost twenty dollars cheaper, it is easier to use. The Walgreens product only requires one application per day instead of two. When I use the Crest Whitestrips, I usually end up stretching the process out for an entire month because I only have time for one application per day. Thirty minutes does not sound like a long time however it is recommended by both products to not eat or drink for at least one hour before and one afterwards. For a busy person who usually only has about three hours of free time at home a day, it is a little unreasonable to use the applications twice. In addition, the Crest Whitestrips are harder to apply. My husband has tried both products also. He has a great difficulty with his larger fingers to peel the Crest Whitestrips from the backing and place on the teeth. He always either rips the strip or can not get it to go directly on the teeth. I have no problems with applying the Whitestrips however I have very small hands and fingers. The Crest Whitestrips also use gel which is more difficult and messing to get off the teeth. Most of the time, gobs of gel is left of the teeth after removing the strips. The Whitening Dental Strips do not leave much gel at all, if any.
So, I recommend the more cost effective, easier to apply and faster to use Whitening Dental Strips. Although the Crest Whitestrips does work, it is harder to use, especially for people that have larger hands.
