Crest Whitestrips

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#1 Post by **Jennifer** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:12 am

I had my braces removed in May and since it is close to me getting veneers I needed to whiten my teeth. The dentist office gave me Crest Whitestrips Supreme. This is a 21 day kit and the strips are to be used twice a day for 30 mins a strip. Here is my question. Yesterday was my first day at using the strips. I never believed there could be so much pain. All day it felt like nerve ending were pulsating. I did not use the second strip out of fear . I put the strip on around 1:oclock and removed it at 1:30. The pain I felt slowly started to go away around 9:30 last night. Is this normal..... If I use them today will I feel the same pain or did my nerve endings get use to them?????? I bought this kit for $38.00 and hate to throw it away..... Really would like some advice on if the pain I felt was normal and should I continue to use the strips......

#2 Post by **Xero** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:56 am

Yes, the pain is normal. Try using Sensodyne.

The Supreme version has 14% HP versus 10% which is sold in stores.

#3 Post by **erica** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:58 am

I feel your pain - literally! I'm currently about halfway through a 10-day twice-a-day course of the "Renewal" kit sold in stores, and I've found that I can at most wear them once per day. When my teeth become too sensitive, I simply stop for a couple of days and then start up again. Advil seems to help when the pain becomes too much, but that may just be psychological. I am seeing results and know that the pain I'm experiencing is normal, so I'll stick with it. Best of luck to you Jennifer with the stronger formulation!

By the way, does anyone here have a breakdown of how the various commercially available Whitestrips vary? From what I can track down, all of the kits prior to Renewal contain 6% hydrogen peroxide (leaving me curious why they're marketed as "different" kits). But I've been unable to locate any information about the content of the Renewals.

Website · #4 Post by **Jetgirl** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:42 pm

I've tried whitening gels in the past that made my teeth very sensitive. I recently got the whitestrips to try out. I have been using Arm & Hammer Enamel Care toothpaste, and I'm not noticing any sensitivity from the whitestrips. I don't know if the toothpaste is helping or not, but it's supposed to help build up the enamel, which may help.

#5 Post by **weird_wired** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:45 pm

Really sharp, stabbing pain can be due to having exposed tubules (eg from gum erosion, or eroded enamel). If the pain is unbearable, stop, and see your dentist.

There are a lot of different whitening kits around, and some are much more gentle than others, ie they have weaker peroxide concentration. This means they will take longer to work, but they might be more comfortable for you.

Also: GC Tooth Mousse (contains Recaldent) is supposed to be very helpful for sensitivity. Try combining it with a fluoride gel as well.

#6 Post by **Jennifer** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 7:02 am

Thanks for the information. I decided against the veneers (it's just not for me) and decided to have alittle bonding done where there are a few open spaces. I had told my dentist about the sensitivity I was having with the whitening strips and he gave me a tube (he didn't give it to me. It cost me $25.00) of Prospec MI PASTE. It seems to be helping. I just hope I am using it right....

Jennifer

#7 Post by **bbsadmin** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:42 am

The MI paste is supposed to be a very good product. It helps to re-mineralize the teeth and will probably help with the sensitivity.

The next time you want to whiten your teeth, do the following:

Brush with Sensodyne for 2 to 3 weeks, and continue using it through and after your whitening treatment.

If the Whitestrips still cause you pain, then talk to your dentist. There are several gel whitening products that contain potassium nitrate (the de-sensitizing agent). In addition, sometimes they give you a de-sensitizing treatment first (a tray of potassium nitrate) and then you put on the whitening gel immediately afterward.

My teeth are really cold sensitive and I thought I'd have a problem with whitening, but much to my surprise it hasn't been a problem at all. I suppose it just depends on the person.

If you have a history of tooth sensitivity, brushing with Sensodyne for 2 weeks before whitening is always a good idea. I have read about this in many tooth whitening articles written by dentists.