Teeth Whitening: Reviews

Updated February 2011

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Best teeth whitening

Professional teeth whitening by dentists

*Est. $300 to $800 Learn More

Reviewers agree that professional teeth-whitening treatments are, by far, the quickest and most successful way to brighten teeth. This can be done at a dentist-supervised whitening center, such as BriteSmile, or by your… expandown dentist with a procedure like the Zoom! Chairside Whitening System. Office techniques use light therapy to speed up the bleaching action of hydrogen peroxide, lightening teeth up to 10 shades in about an hour. Although it's the most expensive option, it also lasts the longest, up to a couple of years. A cheaper option (*Est. $200 to $600) is an American Dental Association-approved home bleaching kit provided by your dentist, with custom-fitted mouth trays. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

The Wall Street Journal: This article in The Wall Street Journal evaluates five tooth-whitening methods and finds the Zoom!

88th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research: Researchers compare the efficacy of professional light-assisted whitening to that of take-home whitening strips.

U.S. News & World Report: The author of this article in U.S. News and World Report points out that dentist-supervised "at-home" treatments provide similar results to those performed in the dentist's office, usually for a more affordable price.

The Early Show: Dentist Nancy Rosen discusses six tooth-whitening treatments on CBS' "The Early Show." She says dentist-administered treatments are strongest and work quickly, but she does offer praise for some over-the-counter approaches.

The Wall Street Journal: Tara Parker-Pope explains how various teeth-whitening options work and what several studies and dentists say about them.

Best over-the-counter teeth whitening product

Crest 3D White Whitestrips Advanced Vivid

*Est. $40 Compare Prices

Over-the-counter whitening systems are much cheaper but not nearly as long-lasting as professional tooth whitening. Of the various options on the market, Crest 3D White Whitestrips Advanced Vivid (*Est. $40), formerly… expandCrest Whitestrips Advanced Seal, receives the most praise. Worn once daily for 30 minutes per session for two weeks, Crest 3D White Whitestrips Advanced Vivid contain 9.5 percent peroxide. On average, they lighten about three shades. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: ConsumerReports.org tests several over-the-counter teeth whiteners, including Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal (now Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid). Each product is tested and rated for efficacy.

88th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research: Researchers evaluate the efficacy of professional light-assisted teeth whitening in comparison to that of Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal (now Crest 3D White Whitestrips Advanced Vivid). Both products produce similar results.

Drugstore.com: More than 170 consumers at Drugstore.com give Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Amazon.com: Nearly 200 users at Amazon.com rate and review Crest 3D White Whitestrips Advanced Vivid, giving them a high overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

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for $34.99

Best teeth whitening product for sensitive teeth

Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips

*Est. $15 Compare Prices

Though their peroxide content isn't listed, Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips are estimated to have less than 5 percent and are worn twice a day for 10 minutes (until they dissolve) per session. Messiness and… expanddrooling are lesser concerns because the strips are worn for such a short period and do not need to be removed. Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips are also a good option for users with sensitive teeth because of the lower potency and limited exposure. There's a downside, though: The Listerine strips' effectiveness is also much lower. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

ConsumerReports.org: The editors of ConsumerReports.org use a panel of staff testers to evaluate Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips along with various other over-the-counter teeth whiteners.

TotalBeauty.com: Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolving Strips were ranked among the best of the 11 products tested at TotalBeauty.com.

Allure: Allure editors, along with cosmetics chemists and dermatologists, test nearly 2,000 products and choose 187 as the best in their categories.

Prevention.com: This article discusses oral hygiene concerns for people ages 50 and older.

Good Housekeeping: Dentist Louis Siegelman evaluates over-the-counter whitening products.

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for $27.61

Crest 3D White Whitestrips Professional Effects *Est. $45

5 picks by top review sites.

GoSmile Advanced Formula B1 *Est. $40

2 picks including: Drugstore.com, Real Simple…

Crest Whitestrips Supreme *Est. $50

2 picks by top review sites.

Aquafresh White Trays *Est. $30

2 picks by top review sites.

Go Smile Whitening System *Est. $85

2 picks by top review sites.

Crest Whitestrips 3D White Vivid *Est. $30

2 picks including: Amazon.com, Drugstore.com…


	Go Smile Whitening System, 20 Count In Stock. Average Customer Review:


	Aquafresh White Trays, 14 Trays In Stock. Average Customer Review: