Mike Nowak wanted a brighter smile.
After viewing several commercials for Crest Whitestrips, a two-week method to whiten teeth, the accounting sophomore decided to give the strips a try.
"I tried them because teeth can never be white enough for me," he said. "Smiles are a good way to judge a person."
Nowak is part of the growing trend of people looking for a more inexpensive and over-the-counter way to whiten their smiles.
The suggested retail price for the strips is $44, but many stores carry them for less. The whitening system includes enough strips to use 30 minutes twice-daily for two weeks. Nowak said he purchased the box on sale at Meijer for $24.99. The cost was reason enough for him to buy it.
"Once I saw them, I grabbed them up and didn't even think otherwise," he said. "Normally I've seen them over $30."
A trip to the dentist for a professional whitening job can cost more than $300, said Jen Gustafson, a hygiene therapist at Gentle Dentistry, 1808 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in Lansing.
"I've heard good things about the Crest Whitestrips," she said. "It might be an easier way for people to do the whitening."
But many in the dentistry, including Gustafson, say professional whitening treatments are better than over-the-counter options.
The strips, she said, don't do the whole job.
"It does whiten your teeth," she said. "But it just whitens the top layer of your teeth, it doesn't get through the enamel."
Nowak said he isn't concerned with how deep the strips penetrate.
"All I care about my teeth are how the outside look to people," he said.
Crest's competitor, Colgate, offers Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel. The liquid is applied to the teeth twice daily for two weeks, and costs about half the price of the strips.
Gustafson said since the gel is relatively new, she hasn't heard any reviews about it, but said it most likely employs the same basic technique as the strips and wouldn't be as effective as professional whitening.
"I would prefer to see people do the in-office whitening," she said. "They'll find better results with it."
The American Dental Association places its seal on products they have tested. While many in-office bleaching agents bear the seal, the only over-the-counter whitening products that have it are some whitening toothpastes, according to the association.
"The ADA believes whitening should be done in a consultation with the dentist," said a spokeswoman for the association.
Despite the warning, Nowak won't be deterred from using the strips again.
"It's definitely a cheaper fix than getting it done at the dentist," he said.
