Makeup & Beauty

Test-Run: Crest WhiteStrips 3D 2-Hour Express

I’m not that diligent when it comes to taking care of my teeth – I do the basics, of course, but am definitely in the business of lying to my dentist every time I see him (“Oh yes, of course I floss twice a day!”). I am also, however, genetically predisposed to all kinds of gum issues (yick), and so lately I’ve been trying to step it up so as to avoid an extremely gross and painful surgery that I fear is in my future. And also because having pretty teeth is sort of important when yours are the size of Chiclets.

On the health side, that’s meant switching to an electric toothbrush (this one; I’m totally obsessed with it) every day. On the vanity side, that’s meant staring forlornly for a few days at a smile that I feared was less-than-glowing, and then finally trying out Crest WhiteStrips (the 2-Hour Express kind).

So what do you think?

Can you see a difference?

In person, I didn’t think I saw one…but looking at these photos, I totally do.

I’ve tried a couple of teeth bleaching procedures in the past – a laser treatment (expensive) about ten years ago, and then a custom-tray-and-bleach thingamajig that I got from the dentist (expensive; major time commitment), and I think this is my favorite option, mostly because of the whole immediate-gratification thing. And the price (you get four treatments in a pack, and if you go on Amazon a box is only a little over $20).

**A few of you asked about the tooth-sensitivity issue: I recall experiencing sensitivity after the laser bleaching and some sensitivity after the trays, but with the WhiteStrips, not really. My teeth felt a little sensitive as I peeled the strips off, but after that, it wasn’t something I noticed.

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