Since I've had good success with the Crest Whitestrips in the past, it didn't take me long to break down and purchase the new Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System a few months after they were first introduced last year. Similar to the Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel I've also had experience with, this Night Effects version is a paint-on whitening system that is supposed to give you a whiter smile in 14 nights and works effortlessly while you sleep. For our teeth can never be too white, right? (With the exception of Friends Ross Gellar, that is, who proved they actually CAN!) Even though I don't smoke or drink coffee or tea, I do drink diet soda frequently, which sometimes can noticeably stain my teeth. So along with using whitening toothpastes and getting regular dental cleanings and checkups every 6 months, I like to use whitening products like this one every 6 months or so to keep my teeth looking their best. Read on to find out more about this rather inexpensive yet below average choice.


~~~The Teeth Whitening Product~~~

This Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System can be purchased over-the-counter and is designed to help whiten your teeth at home overnight while you sleep. According to product advertising: You will notice a clean feeling after just 2 nights. This enamel safe formula works at night to remove stains and reduce stain-causing build-up so you can brush them away in the morning. Each box contains 14 separate blue applicator brushes as well as 14 individual packets of the liquid whitening gel which must be painted on dry teeth at bedtime for best results. The brushes are about 4 inches in length and are simple to use during the application process. And each small packet of the whitening gel contains 0.023 oz (.65g) of the actual product, which is more than plenty to cover both the top front and bottom teeth. So if you'd rather use a paint-on whitening system verses the strips, then this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System might be an option if you can closely follow the enclosed directions. But be forewarned that it can be quite gross and messy, especially if the gel is painted on too thickly and then peels off right into your mouth. Way too icky!


~~~Price & Availability~~~

Pick up a 14 day supply box (total net weight is 3.22 oz or 9.1g) of this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System at your favorite drug, grocery, or discount store, or online at drugstore.com for around $12.99. Valuable coupons are often found in the Sunday newspaper that can be used to further reduce the cost, so for the price, I suppose this paint-on system is worth a try at least once. The small packets of whitening gel as well as the applicator brushes come packaged in a small plastic tray for easy storage during the two weeks it takes to use them all up. My box came with a bonus 4.2 ounce tube of the Crest Dual Action Whitening Toothpaste in the Cool Mint flavor. There's both English and Spanish directions for use, which are easy to follow and are printed on the back of the box. Yet while the Night Effects are less expensive than the Whitestrips, next time I'll definitely go with the latter as they are easier to use and gave me more noticeable results. For it didn't take me long to realize I'd wasted my money when purchasing this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System as it was difficult to use properly and didn't make my teeth any whiter than they were before after the first week of use. So I was very disappointed, especially after enduring the mess I woke up with in my mouth each morning (more details to follow!).


~~~Directions for Use~~~

Some important things to know before trying these Crest Night Effects with Patented Liquid Strip Technology include these two issues: (1)If You Have Dental Work--Night Effects Gel will only whiten natural teeth. It will not whiten caps, crowns, veneers, fillings or dentures. Consult with your dentist if you have dental work on the teeth to be treated. Night Effects has not been observed to harm standard dental restorative materials. (2)Tooth Sensitivity--Some people may experience sensitivity when using whitening products - this is temporary and not harmful. Once you are ready to begin, brush your teeth first to prepare a clean surface and then dry teeth thoroughly (easier said than done when saliva is constantly being produced!). This is supposed to help the whitening gel bond to the teeth better. Then apply just one thin layer of the liquid gel to each of the top and bottom "smile" teeth in front. The hardest part is keeping your mouth open long enough to allow the coating of whitening gel to set and dry (an open mouthed, teeth baring grin must be held several seconds up to a minute). All you do then is leave the gel in place overnight while you sleep so that the whitening ingredients can do their job. Finally, brush away the white goo in the morning (wipe off as much as you can with a tissue first) to reveal a whiter smile. Repeat 13 more times until there are no more applicator brushes or Crest Night Effects whitening gel packets left. That is IF you can stand it that long! I just couldn't :-(


~~~My Experience~~~

When I first purchased my box of this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System recently, I was very eager to try it out. So the first night before bedtime, I followed the directions closely although I found it very difficult to get my teeth dry and keep them dry long enough to apply the gel properly. The first few strokes would go on good, but it didn't take long for the brush to start drying out when the gel was exposed to the air, so clumps were inevitable before I was through. I found painting the top teeth and letting them dry and then doing the same to the bottom seemed to produce the best results. Only it still seemed like the product washed away in just a few minutes after applying and all that was left was a thick coating of white goo that would flake off in my sleep. The taste of the gel itself is quite similar to mint toothpaste, yet I still did not care for feeling the small pieces of the dried gel in my mouth. Upon arising the next day, it felt like I had a thick coating of nasty mouth secretions caked all over the front of my teeth, so brushing it all off first thing in the morning was a must. After first removing most of the larger pieces of dried on gel with a tissue, I'd then brush the rest off with my toothbrush as it did come off easily and wasn't hard to remove at all. Yet as gross as the whole overnight process was, I was willing to stick with it past the first night if it resulted in whiter teeth over time. But after a full weeks use of this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System, I truly could not do it anymore as the messy feeling it left in my mouth felt worse each time yet I was not seeing any difference in the color of my teeth. So I quit and never have been able to make myself paint that gross gel back on my teeth again!


~~~Ingredients~~~

Trimethylsilosysilicate, Dimethicone, Sodium Carbonate Peroxide, Sodium Bicarbonate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Ethyl Acetate, Hydrophobic Silica, MEK, Flavor.


~~~Warnings~~~

Caution: Keep Whitening Gel away from heat or flame. Keep out of the reach of young children. Product is not intended for use in children under the age of 12. Do not get Whitening Gel in eyes. Store in a cool, dry place. Keep away from sunlight. Visit your dentist regularly. Crest Night Effects is not a substitute for regular dental care.


~~~Overall Recommendation~~~

Because this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System is difficult to use properly and resulted in an icky mess in my experience, I cannot recommend it for purchase. And most obvious of all, this stuff just plain didn't work! There should have been SOME noticeable results after a whole week's worth of use, yet I saw nothing to motivate me to continue despite the the negative side effects. Perhaps I applied too much gel to each tooth instead of the thin layer as directed, but since the gel tended to clump easily and quickly when exposed to the air, it was hard not to apply it a bit thicker than I was supposed to. Even so, I plan to never buy this particular product again as it just not was effective or a pleasure to use at all. Save your money and leave this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System on the shelf as the Whitestrips are a much better choice. Only now there is the new Crest Whitestrips Premium Whitening System currently available (a 7 day only whitening system verses the old 14), so I'm looking forward to the chance to try those out soon instead! Good luck and stay healthy :-)


***Whitening Guarantee: If you are not satisfied with the whitening results please call 1-800-561-0750 within 60 days of purchase. Retain original cash register receipt and product UPC to verify purchase. Do not return to retailer for guarantee fulfillment.

***Important tips for whiter teeth: As you brush it on, you may feel that the gel does not form an even coating on your teeth. You'll still get a noticeable whitening result. Apply it is as easy as one coat per tooth. Feel the Liquid Strip coating on your teeth and now it's working! Quickly sets in about 30 seconds!

***For more information on this Crest Night Effects Nighttime Whitening System and other dental related products, check out their website online at:

www.crestnighteffects.com

Questions or comments?
1-800-561-0750

PROCTER & GAMBLE
Cincinnati, OH 45202





Recommended: No