Do Whitening Strips actually make your teeth whiter?

Let's be up front in this review of the various whitening strips for teeth whitening. My bias is that I don't like them and find them less than adequate to whiten or brighten a smile.

You've probably seen the commercials and the rest of the advertisements. They claim to deliver whiter teeth in 7 days or less. Of course, they use models who have the whitest teeth imaginable and they sometimes even look unnatural due to the level of whiteness. The whole idea is to get you to believe that their product gave them those pearly whites.

This type of advertising is also true of the teeth whitening toothpaste group. You've surely noticed the ridiculous array of whitening toothpastes in your local supermarkets and drugstores. The whole idea is that these products can and do deliver the results you are expecting.

Here's the problems I have with whitening strips. Understand that I've disclosed my bias but think I can offer some real review type

information for your consideration.

1. Safety. There's no question that the whitening strips for teeth are safe. While many of the home teeth whitening systems available have strong and effective whitening gel, they can have side effects. These side effects are typically minimal but the kits have been known to cause tooth sensitivity and gum irritations if used incorrectly. Strip type whiteners also can have the same problem.

2. Whitening strips only whiten a few teeth. The whole idea of whitening only the front teeth and then just the outside of the tooth structure just seems wrong to me. I've seen gold crowns that when people smile, the back crown gold shows. I don't want dark areas in my smile especially after using tooth whitener products.

3. Effectiveness. In relation to the home teeth whitening kits, the strip method whitener solution is a poor substitute. Yes, they do whiten your teeth in a few days but it's not from dark to bright white. It's more like a couple of shades. So if your teeth are a 3 in the shading, whitening strips can take your up to a 5 or 6 in whitening color while other whitener methods can take your teeth up to an 8 or more. A couple of shade may be noticed but it isn't that dazzling white smile of the advertising models selling the strips.

Price. Although it may seem cheaper, it's only cheaper if it worked as advertised. It doesn't so the price is not a consideration for this reviewer.

4. Comfort. How about a piece of plastic placed on your teeth to hold the active ingredient against the teeth enamel. Without that contact, no whitening solution will be effective. I don't like the plastic tape design as it moves while I wear it.

In the end, if you only want a few shades of whitening or need something to touch up your professional or home teeth whitening efforts, maybe these whitening strips should be considered.

As a total solution to get that great healthy and bright smile however, this reviewer thinks you should just keep looking. Below are a few links to some great deals on teeth whitening solutions that actually work extremely well.