Do Crest Whitestrips Work? All About Safety, Efficacy, and Reviews

Crest Whitestrips are an easy and fast way to whiten teeth. Plus, they have the ADA's overall seal of approval and continuous testing in dental research; so you know they are safe!

In this article we'll answer your questions so you can decide is Crest ED Whitestrips are the best brand of teeth whitening strips for you. Here's a preview:

• Are Crest Whitestrips safe? Yes!
• Do Crest 3D Whitestrips work? Yes! Remove 15+ years of stains
• What are the ingredients of Crest Whitestrips? Tried and true hydrogen peroxide

How do Crest Whitestrips work?

Crest Whitestrips are thin, transparent strips made from a plastic called polyethylene, which are safe for one-time use and are coated on one side with a tooth-whitening gel containing a whitening agent, usually peroxide.

Crest Whitestrips work by covering the teeth with a gel that contains hydrogen peroxide, which effectively removes surface stains and works to whiten teeth.

There are two strips: one for the top teeth and one for the bottom. These strips are flexible and conform to the shape of your teeth, keeping the whitening gel in place.

Crest Whitestrips ingredients

According to the Crest website, below are the following ingredients in the Crest Whitestrips:

• Water: Prevents teeth dehydration
• Glycerin: Thickens gel and helps it adhere to teeth
• Hydrogen peroxide: Whitens
• Carbomer: Makes gel adhesive
• Polyvinylpyrrolidone: Makes gel adhesive
• PEG: Thickens gel and makes it stick
• Acrylates copolymer: Thickens gel and keeps strip in place
• Sodium hydroxide: Makes pH neutral
• Sodium saccharin: Makes the strips taste better
• Pyrophosphate: Protects against tartar (only in Crest 3D White Whitestrips Stain Shield)

How to apply Crest Whitestrips

• Apply the strips: Don't brush your teeth before applying them; this will give them stronger sticking power. To apply the strips, peel off the liner from the back of the whitening strip, and then place the gel side of the strip along the fronts of your teeth, lining it up with your gum line. Press the strip against your teeth and fold the extra width of the strip behind your teeth. Follow this procedure for both upper and lower arches.
• Usage frequency: Make sure to read the instructions on the whitestrips you are using. Some strips should only be worn once a day, while others require two uses per day.
• Application time: Always follow the instructions on your whitestrips. The time range for wearing can vary from 5 minutes to 45 minutes. The time usually depends on the concentration of the whitening formula in your strips. Wearing your whitestrips more often or longer than directed won't result in whiter teeth but may cause damage.
• Treatment time: Wear your strips for the directed treatment time. Some treatment regimens last just a week, while others can last for a month.

Best Crest white strips

Crest Glamorous White 3D Whitestrips are among the best whitestrips because dentists highly recommend them, and they are ADA-recommended. Let's have a look at some of the most popular Whitestrips options and compare their similarities and differences.

Professional Effects 3D Whitestrips

“First review I’ve ever written. These are freaking amazing. Removed years of coffee and tea stains. Totally worth the price.”

Professional Effects promises to remove 15+ years of teeth stains with effects lasting at least 6 months. As the name suggests, the oral health company says these strips deliver the same results as professional, in-office whitening.

You'll start seeing results after just three days, with full results after 20 days. These strips are safe on enamel and have Advanced Seal Technology, which lets them stay in place even when you talk or drink water.

This kit also comes with two 1-Hour Express treatments for same-day results.

• Number of strips: 20 sets (1 upper 1 lower)
• Length of treatment: 20 days
• Application time: 30 minutes
• Application frequency: Once per day
• Whitening ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Price: $45

Glamorous White 3D Whitestrips

“I liked it. It was a little strong on my gums but got the job done. I am a Dental Hygienist, and I prefer the Crest to in office whitening. I think it's gentler and just as effective.”

Crest Glamorous White Whitestrips comes with 14 sets of strips (28 strips total)—one for your top teeth and one for your bottom teeth. Each set is individually wrapped, taking out the guesswork of matching pairs. The bottom strip is smaller and contoured for your bottom teeth, while the top strip is long for full coverage.

The company claims that these strips will whiten 25 times better than the leading whitening toothpaste and that their Advanced Seal Technology means that the strips will stay in place, so much so that you can drink water and talk with ease while whitening.

Additionally, these strips are ADA-accepted, meaning the American Dental Association has found them safe and effective when used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Number of strips: 14 sets (1 upper 1 lower)
• Length of treatment: 14 days
• Application time: 30 minutes
• Application frequency: Once per day
• Whitening ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Price: $45

Vivid White 3D Whitestrips

“Excellent! No sensitivity and my teeth are whiter than ever! I’m a regular coffee and wine drinker and it removed it all.”

Crest Vivid White can remove five years of stains from coffee, wine, tobacco, and other stain perpetrators. With Vivid, you get 10 sets of upper and lower strips and must wear them for half an hour daily. Crest recommends this whitening kit for those who are new to teeth whitening since it's a straightforward and relatively short regimen.

These strips use the same enamel-safe whitening agent that dentists use in-office, and they feature Advanced Seal Technology, so the strips stay in place.

If you purchase this VividPlus kit, you also get two 1-hour express treatments for a whitening boost and other benefits such as:

• Number of strips: 10 sets (1 upper 1 lower)
• Length of treatment: 10 days
• Application time: 30 minutes
• Application frequency: Once per day
• Whitening ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Price: $35

Charcoal and Arctic Mint 3D Whitestrips

“Love Crest Whitestrips. They have always done my teeth so well. I have two partially fake front teeth because of a fall when I was younger that chipped them. The bondage [sic] on my teeth whitens along with the natural teeth with no issues. Highly recommend. I buy these twice a year and keeps me feeling confident and happy!”

The Arctic Mint strips address the problem that whitestrips of any brand don't always taste very good. These strips whiten 25x better than whitening toothpaste and comprise 3D Whitestrips with Arctic Mint flavor serum that you can add to them before you apply them.

Arctic White comes with 28 whitestrips or 14 sets with top and bottom strips, with 30-minute treatment sessions per day.

• Number of strips: 14 sets (1 upper 1 lower)
• Length of treatment: 14 days
• Application time: 30 minutes
• Application frequency: Once per day
• Whitening ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide
• Price: $67

The Charcoal Mint version has the same 3D base as the Arctic Mint, but the serum you apply also includes activated charcoal for its natural whitening abilities.

Crest Whitestrips whitening kit reviews

“Great product! The strips are my go-to item for quick, whiter teeth. The mouthpiece takes the whiteness up a notch. I won't do the strips without the light from now on!”

Besides their whitening strip selection, Crest offers strips and LED light kits. The 3D Whitestrips with Light is possibly their best-selling Crest whitening kit. They claim that this is their fastest way to whiter teeth. It comes with 20 strips, 10 sets of upper and lower strips for 10 days of treatment, and a handheld light that speeds up treatment.

To use this system, you must apply the strips once daily for 60 minutes and follow up with 10 minutes of light time. When done correctly, the results can last up to 36 months.

Product summary

There are many options to choose from, from this brand and many others. To help you determine which of Crest's products is best for you, look at the table below.

Customer Crest Whitestrips review

Konnor's Crest 3D Whitestrips review

“I don't know what else to say, I thought they were great!”

Konnor shows us the first and tenth days of the Crest Whitestrips treatment. The kind that he purchased claims to remove five years of stains.

Konnor has mostly white teeth with just a hint of yellow stain. He doesn't know why he has a yellow stain on his teeth because he brushes his teeth twice a day and flosses every day too. His best guess is that the yellow stain comes from his coffee drinking.

He takes us through his first time applying the strips in his video. It was a pretty straightforward process, but he was a bit confused about which was the upper and lower one at first.

His first impression is that the strips don't taste great, and talking with them is difficult. He doesn't love that the strips don't cover all of his teeth, just the front ones. Taking them off wasn't a pleasant experience for him either, as he felt he had to tear them from his teeth.

He sums up his first experience with the following conclusions:

• It's easy to put them on (as long as you know that the small one is for the bottom teeth and the longer one for the upper teeth)
• They are difficult and quite unpleasant to take off
• They left no uneven white spots on his teeth

10 days later, Konnor says he experienced pain and sensitivity when he ate and drank. He solved this problem by applying the strips before going to bed at night.

All in all, he thinks they worked really well. He skipped a few days because it hurt too much until he realized he should do the treatment before bed. He says he would use them again, but the part that's a bummer is the pain.

Watch the rest of Konnor's review in the video below:

SimplyPop's Crest Whitestrips Luxe reviews

This blogger has a beautiful smile, but his teeth are a touch yellow, which is the issue he wants to address. He takes us through a three-month journey of his Whitestrips experience:

He opted for the Crest Whitestrips Luxe, which also came with a whitening express treatment as well. He says he really likes them because they work well, but he cautions his viewers to be careful with coffee, wine, and general oral hygiene, as it needs more than just a one-time fix—you have to be dedicated to taking care of your smile.

You can watch the rest of his review in the video below:

Simply Simone's Crest 3D Whitening strips review

Simone takes us through her six-day whitening journey in this Crest Whitestrips 1-hour express review. She combines a trio of products: the Crest Professional Express Whitening in one-week strips, Crest Brilliance mouthwash, and Crest Brilliance toothpaste. Her process is to brush her teeth first with the toothpaste, then use the mouthwash and finish with the strips.

She said the mouthwash didn't cause any sensitivity, but the toothpaste did sting a bit. (You can read more about mouthwashes and toothpastes for whitening in our full guides if that interests you).

Her treatment is one week long since it is one of the Express options. By day three, she already notices that her teeth are a bit whiter. She had to take a break on day four because her teeth were sensitive and uncomfortable.

She couldn't finish day 7 of the treatment because her daughter stole a set of strips! But even after six days, she's really happy with the difference. Watch her entire journey in the video below!

Are Crest whitening strips safe?

With any whitening treatment, there's always at least some risk of causing harm to your teeth or gums, and whitestrips are no exception.

Damage to gums

The ADA themselves, who have given their Seal of Acceptance to some Whitestrips products, caution that overuse of these products can cause tooth sensitivity and gum damage. This damage can be caused by hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, and PVP, all ingredients in these strips.

Damage to teeth

A study by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology found that hydrogen peroxide, a key ingredient in these and other over-the-counter whitening options, can harm dentin under your tooth's enamel. The results found that one of the major proteins in dentin was breaking down with strips and that collagen disappeared.

Additionally, such whitening products may cause damage to the tooth's enamel, which can result in tooth sensitivity and pain, as well as a higher risk of cavities.

Uneven whitening

Whitestrips can only go so far in whitening your teeth; they will whiten only the surfaces they completely cover and adhere to. It can be difficult to ensure full coverage, especially when trying to get these flat strips to whiten the spaces between your teeth or to fully cover the contours where your teeth meet your gums without causing damage to your gums.

The result is sometimes a nice white tooth center, with edges that remain yellow or gray. It's not that the whitestrips make the rest of your tooth more yellow. It's just that now the yellow area is more noticeable when compared with the whitened areas.

Disrupting your oral microbiome

Peroxide, the main whitening agent in these strips, also kills bacteria. That might sound like a good thing, but there are lots of bacteria in our mouths that we actually need to stay healthy. Without a proper balance of these beneficial bacteria, you have a higher chance of infections, cavities, bad breath, and other general health problems.

Best alternatives to Whitestrips

Not convinced about Whitestrips? No problem! You can try all sorts of whitening methods, from natural whitening remedies to toothpaste, to professional methods.

Snow ‘The Magic Strips'

Snow whitestrips use peroxide to whiten teeth, just like Crest, but they are also made with Snow's patented P3 technology, which makes them even more effective at whitening.

These whitestrips are also designed to make the whitening experience overall more enjoyable and convenient. How? First, you only need to wear these strips for 15 minutes daily to see dramatic results.

Plus, The Magic Strips dissolve right on your teeth, and they don't leave behind a gooey mess like other whitening strips, including Crest.

These strips also eliminate that nasty faux-mint chemical taste typical of many whitening strips and products. Instead, they taste like an elegant, subtle blend of lavender and mint.

You won't ever have to worry about running out of your strips either — there are 28 strips per pack, and you can subscribe for automatic refills in 1, 2, 3, or 6 months.

How do they compare to Crest in terms of price?

Like with Crest's top-of-the-line Glamorous Whitestrips, you get 28 per pack for under $40. Get yours now!

Smile Brilliant

Smile Brilliant is a professional bleaching treatment—the only difference is that you can do it from home. How?

With Smile Brilliant, you order a kit so that you can make impressions of your teeth. You then send your impressions to the Smile Brilliant lab, and they will tailor-make your teeth whitening trays right here in the US.

Once your trays are made, they send them back to you, along with the same dentist-strength 22% carbamide peroxide whitening gel you would get in the dentist's office. In fact, you can be completely confident that this is the same treatment you get at the dentist because dentists actually purchase their whitening trays from the Smile Brilliant lab.

Other benefits of Smile Brilliant include:

• Lasting results: The whitening offered by Smile Brilliant lasts for over a year.
• Easy on teeth and gums: You can order a special desensitizing gel that greatly reduces and prevents sensitivity.
• Refills: You don't need to purchase a whole new kit when you want to refresh your results. Instead, you can order refills. This is both eco and wallet-friendly.
• Affordability: Smile Brilliant is one of the only at-home systems offering professional-level results at a fraction of the cost.

Read other teeth whitening kit reviews or learn about other types of cosmetic dentistry in our guide here.

Why do our teeth stain?

Our teeth stain because of tobacco, food, drink, or poor brushing habits. In some cases, if your teeth aren't perfectly white, that's normal! Some people may have naturally pearly whites, but slightly grey or yellow teeth can be perfectly healthy for most of us. 

The tooth's enamel is a thin blueish-white layer, and it's translucent. As a result, some of the color from the dentin beneath is visible. Since the dentin is dark yellow, it can give teeth an off-white or yellow appearance.

So your teeth may naturally be more yellow than white, but your tooth color may also be caused by staining. Staining can generally be divided into three main categories. Let's have a look!

Extrinsic staining

Extrinsic stains are those that only affect the tooth's enamel. These stains are usually caused by food, drink, or tobacco use. Some of the most common food and drink stain perpetrators are:

• Wine
• Coffee
• Tea
• Chocolate

Foods with a high acidity level, like those with lots of sugar or citric fruits, create an acidic environment in your mouth, making enamel more susceptible to discoloration.

Intrinsic staining

Intrinsic staining is discoloration that is located inside the actual tooth, not just on the surface. These types of stains can come from:

• Medications (like tetracycline)
• Tooth trauma
• Tooth decay
• Fluorosis
• Genetics

Intrinsic stains are usually more difficult to treat with over-the-counter whitening products like Crest whitening strips.

Age-related staining

Just another one of the awesome perks of aging—your teeth might yellow a bit too! That's because, throughout the years, your enamel gradually wears away, exposing more of the yellow of the dentin underneath. Both extrinsic and intrinsic factors can also cause age-related staining.

Conclusion

As you can see from these Crest 3D Whitestrips reviews, Whitestrips are an effective way to whiten teeth that are stained, whether from coffee, smoking, wine, or you were just born that way. Whitestrips provide a relatively simple way to whiten your teeth from home and for a fraction of the price of professional, in-office whitening.

There is a risk of enamel and dentin damage and increased tooth sensitivity or even pain when using this or any other kind of whitening product. However, the American Dental Association has given Luxe Whitestrips their Seal of Acceptance, so you can feel confident knowing that the professional community stands behind this product.

Ensure you check the expiration date of the product before using it and discourage the use of expired products for maximum effectiveness.

FAQs

Do Crest 3D Whitestrips work on yellow teeth?

Crest 3D Whitestrips work on yellow teeth. If your yellow teeth are caused by surface stains, then Crest 3D Whitestrips can remove them and restore your teeth to their natural color.

However, if your yellow teeth are caused by dentin, a yellow substance that exists beneath the enamel, it can't be changed with superficial whitening treatments because that is the natural color of your teeth.

Do Whitestrips work after one use?

Whitestrips do not work after one use unless you use the Express whitening strips. These work in just an hour to remove surface stains. The intended result is an immediately noticeably whiter smile. Standard treatments will gradually produce results; to get full results, you should stick with the entire treatment course.

How often do you use Whitestrips?

You should use Whitestrips every day, once per day. In some cases, you can also use a Crest 3D Express whitening strip to supplement your normal treatment.

The important thing is to follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you skip days, you may not see the same results as you would if you were consistent with the whitening treatment.