Casually strolling down the drugstore dental-care aisle in search of teeth-whitening products is no small task for first-timers.
First, you have to know which type of product you want — whitening strips? Bleaching trays? Or maybe a paint-on gel?— then, you have to choose one. Within these categories are about 50 subcategories for different intensities of strips, types of trays and paint-ons — not to mention deciding among various brands.
There's also price, effectiveness and potential side effects to consider for each prospective candidate.
But before you give up, swear off whitening products altogether and vow to endure coffee-stained teeth for the rest of your life, you should know what follows is an organized set of information on the plethora of these sparkly smile enablers.
And then the next time you saunter over to CVS or a Rite Aid pharmacy, you just might be able to march down that dental-care aisle and immediately grab your product of choice — no second guessing necessary.
Whitestrips
"Probably the simplest (product) that people are most aware of are bleaching strips, like Crest Whitestrips," said Dr. George Grein of After Hours Dental Center, 1500 Abbott Road. "You can get them over the counter, and they're quite effective."
Using whitening strips generally involves placing them over teeth twice a day for 30 minutes each. Make sure to completely cover teeth so they lighten evenly. When whitening teeth that contain dental work, Grein said to be especially careful.
"The teeth will get whiter and the crowns will not," he said.
Crest offers five levels of whitestrips. The mildest is Crest Whitestrips Classic. These strips are worn for 14 days, cost about $24.99 and guarantee whiter teeth for about 12 months.
But the amount of time any whitening product lasts ultimately depends upon personal habits, Grein said. Perpetual smokers and coffee drinkers will likely revert back to their normal shades more quickly than those who don't. Blueberries, red wine and tea also stain teeth.
Crest Whitestrips Premium are stronger than the classic strips. They should be worn for seven days, guarantee whiter teeth for about 12 months and cost about $34.39.
Crest Whitestrips Renewal targets up to 20-year-old stains accumulated by adults. These strips are worn for 10 days, guarantee results for about 18 months and cost approximately $39.99.
Crest Whitestrips Supreme are the strongest of the strips and are available only through dental offices such as Grein's. He said they're about 80 percent more effective than over-the-counter whitening strips and cost about $100.
For maximum results, whitestrips should be used daily without skipping a session, Grein said.
"It's really a treatment, so you want to use it as prescribed," he said. "It's not something you take as you need it. You're whitening your teeth, so you go through the course of the treatment."
General business administration sophomore Laura Lewis realized this when using whitestrips from the dentist a couple of years ago. She didn't see tremendous results because she used them irregularly, she said. More recently, Lewis tried off-brand whitening strips from Wal-Mart, which she said have granted similar results and cost about $15.
"Crest Whitestrips probably would've worked better if I had used them regularly," she said. "But the Wal-Mart brand, I think, works just as well."
With each whitening product she tried, Lewis experienced temporary sensitivity around the gums that diminished a few hours after using the strips.
Sensitivity is a side effect of any whitening product, Grein said, and added the stronger a product is, the more likely impermanent sensitivity will occur. His office sells a new product called MI Paste to counteract sensitivity, which remineralizes teeth.
It costs $23 and should be applied after cleaning teeth thoroughly. Similar to whitening strips, swallowing a little of the paste isn't harmful, he said.
Whitening strips don't have any negative long-term effects, Grein said, though he recommends using a box of whitestrips within the first year they're bought. He advises against using "box after box" but said using a follow-up box isn't harmful.
In-office procedures
At the dental offices of Dr. Christine Tenaglia, 3985 Okemos Road, patients can obtain a picture-perfect smile in approximately two hours. The in-office whitening system called Zoom! costs $675 and whitens teeth using bleaching materials and a laser.
First, impressions of the top and bottom teeth are taken for the customized whitening trays that will be taken home for monthly touch-ups, said Stephanie Densmore, the clinical coordinator. Then the gum tissue, cheeks, tongue and opening of lips are completely covered so only the teeth are exposed.
In four 15-minute sessions, bleach is applied to the teeth and the Zoom! laser activates the bleaching materials to speed up the whitening process. Between each session, the bleach is wiped from the teeth and new bleaching material is applied.
Last but not least, "I hand you a mirror, and you instantly see results — between four and seven shades lighter," Densmore said.
The results can last for several years as long as patients use the customized, at-home bleaching trays once a month, she said.
After the appointment, sensitivity may last from 24 to 48 hours, especially when teeth are exposed to cold temperatures.
"You might get these little sparkles, little twinges in the tooth," Densmore said.
"But before you can finish the reaction to it, it goes away. The reason that happens is because with any bleaching process you somewhat dehydrate the tooth to open the microscopic pores to allow the tooth to lighten. So it's rehydrating the tooth. It doesn't cause any damage because it's not making the bone dry — you're regaining hydration."
Densmore provides patients with a list of light-colored food and drink, that should be consumed for the next five meals, as teeth are more susceptible to staining after the treatment.
Swiss cheese, water, colorless alcoholic beverages, cauliflower, turkey and white bread without crust are recommended. It's also advised not to wear dark red lipstick, as this could cause staining.
"Even take caution when using Crest Whitestrips," Densmore said. "Avoid coffee, dark pops, red wine, grape and cranberry juice. Maybe not as strict as the white diet but eat lighter foods because you're still somewhat dehydrating the tooth."
Grein used to perform in-office bleaching treatments but reverted to selling Crest Whitestrips Supreme. He said the strips are much less expensive and provide the same results, but added an advantage to in-office whitening is immediate satisfaction.
Paint-on whiteners
Though at first glance paint-on whitening products may look like Wite-Out, don't be fooled — they're not. Crest makes a paint-on product called Crest Night Effects, in which one coat of bleaching gel is painted on the teeth before bed and is washed off in the morning.
These products should be used immediately after drying teeth. Sipping water while wearing Crest Night Effects doesn't harm the whitening process, but eating or smoking will.
The CVS pharmacy brand, called Nighttime Whitening Gel, costs about $7.99, and Crest Night Effects costs about $14.99.
Though Grein said he isn't familiar with paint-on whiteners, he said he wouldn't recommend them over whitening strips.
"I'd be leery of that," he said. "I'd have to look at the package, but what I would suggest is carefully read the instructions as to what could happen."
Whitening gum and toothpaste
If whitening gum could produce the same effects as whitening strips, it would probably cost more than a couple bucks. Lewis has chewed Orbit White with no success and has brushed her teeth with whitening toothpaste, which she said did provide slight results.
But Densmore doesn't recommend whitening toothpaste, as it's abrasive and can wear teeth down.
As for whitening gum, Grein said it doesn't have to whiten teeth to be beneficial. Gum that contains xylitol, such as Trident, does not only cleans teeth but also prevents tooth decay. All that in a stick of gum.
At-home remedies
If you don't want to invest time and energy into teeth-whitening products, look no further than your kitchen for a little whitening secret — baking soda. Densmore said to simply wet your toothbrush, dab baking soda on it and brush. Leaving a little baking soda on your teeth after brushing also can help brighten teeth throughout the day, she added.
Maintaining healthy teeth without the aid of whitening products also can be achieved by constant brushing after meals — especially after drinking and eating foods that are highly acidic. Carbonation from pop, citrus juices and other foods and drinks with acid bases can erode tooth enamel.
"Even diet pops are bad for you," Grein said. "You may think you're avoiding the sugar, but it's still acidic. That's bad for the overall lowering of pH in the mouth, as far as teeth are concerned. Acid and enamel aren't friends. If it tastes a little bit tart, it's acidic."
Elizabeth Swanson can be reached at swans130@msu.edu.
