Home Teeth whitening Kits

I've used most types of kit on and off over the years but the only one that has made a lasting difference and wasn't the world's biggest pain in the ass to use is Crest Whitestrips. They come in an intensive 7-day pack or a slightly weaker 14-day pack. Go with the 14-day pack if you have sensititve teeth at all. The 7-day strips are intended to be used twice a day but I found they made my teeth and gums so sensitive I had to go down to once a day (not that this affects the performance, it just takes longer). It can get pretty sore but what kept me going was the fact that I knew it was only for a week and thus worth it to me, and that people were commenting on my white teeth from the second day!

I'm actually going to get a second pack now. I bought them on ebay for £17 and they arrived the next day. While one pack has made a huge difference- more than I ever thought it would based on previous experience of whitening kits, my teeth were quite badly stained from coffee and you are advised that some people may need two kits to get really white. I don't think I'll need to use the whole kit though, just a few more days should be fine. The rest can then be kept for a quick top-up every few months.

The sort of selling point for Crest Whitestrips is that they are the only whitening kit developed with the aid of dentists and use exactly the same stuff, in the same concentrations, that dentists use themselves. The plastic strips come coated in the right amount of product, you peel them off, stick them onto your front teeth and fold the edge under, then leave for half an hour. It's so much easier than the dental tray kits you can get with the 3 or so different products you need to use, as well as having a lasting effect in a short space of time.

I was sceptical of these before buying but my teeth staining had really been affecting my confidence and it was a last attempt at home kits before considering professional work. They were amazing and definitely the best I've ever used. They are a bit more awkward to use though than they claim, but again I put up with this because of how great the effects were from the start and because its a short programme. What I have learned is:

1. They say you can talk with them in. You can't. They slide around too much and you end up swallowing loads of the bleach.
2. They will feel like they're coming off in your mouth. They're probably not, however the folded under bit rarely stays that way. It will unfold and you will end up swallowing the bleach from it. As long as the whole thing stays on I wouldn't worry about trying to fix it as it will just dislodge it more.
3. Do not brush your teeth less than an hour before using. It will hurt when you put the strips on. Do not brush your teeth immediately after using as your gums will be sensitive from the bleach and may bleed.
4. Don't use an upper and a lower strip at the same time. They stick together and pull each other off your teeth.

Once your teeth are white enough you should use whitening toothpaste or whitening pens to maintain the effect, especially if you're a big coffee/red wine drinker. While these are useless on badly stained teeth they should be ok as a preventative measure.

Seriously, for £17 you can't go wrong! Good luck!