Teeth Whiteners | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com

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By ABC30

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Fresno, CA Do you dream of having teeth as white as these models? Crest hopes you do, aggressively advertising on TV and on facebook to promote its white strips advanced seal. Crest promises drama, "Giving you a dramatically whiter smile."

Listerine says it's whitening quick dissolving strip "Simply dissolves, to noticeably white."

And I-White claims to provide "Dentist-office results."

Consumer Reports tested to see how well eight at-home kits work. They cost anywhere from $17 dollars to $50 dollars. v Gayle Williams, Consumer Reports, said "We had over eighty staff members try out one kit each."

There are kits that use strips that stick on - and strips that dissolve. Other kits use trays, including this one from i-white. It has a battery-operated light designed to accelerate teeth whitening, but it didn't do so well. "it turns out that the i-white kit actually whitened teeth the least of all the kits tested."

Consumer Reports uses this device, a colorimeter, to assess staffers' before and after tooth color.

Gayle Williams, Consumer Reports, said "Don't expect dramatic results. None of the kits offered a cover girl white smile."

But the $50 dollar Crest White Strips Supreme did outperform the others, rating very good. It's available online.

"if you want to reduce stains on your teeth, go easy when it comes to drinking tea, coffee, colas, red wine, even clear sodas.", said Gayle Williams, Consumer Reports.