Choosing from our range of whitening products can sometimes be tricky – which is best? which one is right for my teeth? what’s the difference between them? We often advise people over the phone as to which product will suit them best so we decided to create an article that will help you make the best choice…
Which type of product suits you best?
Firstly you need to choose the type of kit that is most suitable for you:
Tray-Based Kits
Tray-Based kits offer the most effective results, reaching all areas of your teeth for completely even whitening. Tray based kits are almost exactly the same as you get from your dentist – but are much better value for money! The majority of our customers opt for tray based kits, and we have an incredibly high satisfaction rate. For customers with a lot of staining, or who want the maximum whitening results possible we would highly recommend tray-based kits. However, some people find trays a bit messy and don’t like the fact that they make speaking difficult. Some find trays to be a bit bulky in the mouth too, in which case you may find strips to be a better fit…
Whitening Strips
Whitening strips offer great results, are super-easy to apply, allow you to speak normally, and don’t require you to form trays to your mouth. They are best suited to people who want convenience, ease of use, and the same great results you get from tray based kits. On the down-side, strips can become dislodged easily, can stimulate a lot of saliva, and are not ideally suited to people who have crooked or misaligned teeth as they may not be able to achieve satisfactory coverage. If you are still looking for even greater ease of use and convenience, you may find pens are better for you…
Whitening pens
Whitening pens offer the most convenient way of whitening your teeth, just paint on, allow to dry, and go about your everyday business! No one will ever know you are whitening your teeth, and there are no messy trays or strips to deal with. With pens you can also paint on the gel exactly where you want it – for example if one tooth is darker than the rest – and you don’t need to worry about getting any gel onto your gums.
Pens do have their limitations however, after the gel is painted onto your teeth and dried (like nail varnish) the film is not particularly resistant to saliva and may get washed away within 30 minutes, meaning less time the gel is in contact with your teeth and hence slower results. We therefore recommend pens as a great way for maintaining your new whiter smile; they are small and look just like a normal pen allowing you to keep them in your handbag or washbag and because of the quick, easy, and discreet application you can ‘top-up’ your teeth at your convenience – maybe before a night out, a special occasion, or just because your teeth aren’t quite as bright as they were when you initially whitened them. Pens are also great if you have fairly white teeth already and are just looking for a boost of 3-4 shades – they are particularly popular with younger customers who don’t have much staining but want a ‘Hollywood Smile’ without the hassle.
Now you’ve chosen which type of product you want to whiten with…
You now need to decide which strength and size of the kit! This really depends on how stained your teeth are, and which type of staining you have.
Not heavily stained but slightly yellow
You will probably not need a high strength of whitening gel, nor need to whiten for more than a week or so! A gel strength of 10% (if you have sensitive teeth) or 16% should be adequate – or if you want really fast results, 22% (although you may get sensitivity for a day or two). For Crest Whitestrips you could try any of the products that have a 7 or 10 day treatment time – or if you buy a bigger pack (for example Crest Supreme) you can keep strips to use in top-up treatments after 6-12 months to keep your teeth bright and white. A whitening pen may also be suitable, if you are looking for a 3-4 shade increase a pen would be the easiest and lowest-cost way of whitening your teeth.
Yellow teeth
Either a tray based or strip based kit is best for you. Achieving maximum results will probably take 10-14 days. The higher the strength of gel the quicker your teeth will whiten, but the risk of sensitivity and gum irritation will be greater. In general we highly recommend a 16% gel strength, you can get the same maximum result but at a slightly slower pace – leading to a more stable shade and greater comfort during whitening. Any of the Crest Whitestrips products are suitable, just make sure that there are enough strips included to last approximately 2 weeks. A whitening pen is a great way to keep your teeth white afterwards, but probably not enough to give you the initial whitening unless you are only after a 3-4 shade increase.
Dark grey or yellow teeth
Unfortunately these are the most difficult teeth to whiten. In your case we highly recommend a tray based kit along with some gel refills as you will probably need to whiten for 2-3 weeks to get maximum results. Crest whitestrips will also work, however they can be more expensive especially if you need a 3 week supply (see Crest Whitestrips Supreme). For gel strength, 16% upwards is indicated – however if you have sensitive teeth 10% will still allow you to achieve maximum results but it will take considerably longer wear-time than 22% or 35% for example.
More information
We highly recommend you read our article on which strength of gel is best – you’ll find all the strengths compared and a guide to which one to pick for maximum whitening results, you may be surprised!
We hope that helps you decide, however if you still have questions or comments please just post in the comment box below – we will get back to you straight away!
