I went shopping, you know, the night I bought all the chocolates at Walmart. I also bought some Crest White Strips. I thought it seemed like a good thing at the time.

So, getting ready for work, I eat my dinner, and pop in the strips for the 30 minutes right before I leave the house. on my way out the door, I pulled them out, dropped them in the trash, and went on my way.

Almost to work, I get a discomfort, like hot flashes. Feel a bit nauseated. My head aches, my arms and legs ache and feel heavy. My heart was about to pound out of my chest.

I got out of the car and the cool night air felt wonderful. I panted and strained just to make it indoors. I barely made it.

When I got to the employees lounge to clock in, I call my husband.

"Honey, please read me the ingredients on the box of White Strips."

"Why?" he asks innocently.

"Because," I snap back, edgy and unconfortable, irritable with seemingly no cause.

"Water. Glycerine. Peroxide."

....

For 30 minutes per day, twice a day, you bathe your teeth not only in enamel penetrating peroxide to bleach the stains, but a bath of pure sugar.

What is WRONG with this picture?

Here it is, hours later, and I still feel horrible. But I am still terribly confused too, as to why a dental product would put sugar in a product that penetrates tooth enamel, then tell you to leave it sit on your teeth for an hour per day.

And I paid 24 bucks for a box of this crap. And you can bet they are getting a letter at the least, perhaps a voice call, asking for my money back.

Who would have imagined?

Where's the sugar?

Perhaps you're confusing glycerine with glucose? Glycerine is not sugar.

These strips are perfectly safe. Perhaps you just weren't feeling good.

For many people, glycerine causes a distinct glycemic reaction... just like eating sugar. I am one of them. Sorry you had to go through that. Live and learn.

Sue is right. Glycerine is not sugar. Perhaps it was the peroxide that you were reacting to?

And I am buying these White Strips today. Makes me worry

I tried them recently, didn't have any sugar blues. But after pulling them out, it did leave my mouth a gooey mess - needed to rinse out really well.

This has nothing to do with the glycerine thing, but I thought you should know, teeth whitening agents are usually some form of bleaching. This makes your enamel more porous and actually strips the layers of enamel over time causing a thinner layer. This, in turn, causes the very staining that you are trying to avoid even more often, which makes you need the whitening agents even more. It will make your teeth more sensitive to hot, cold, and sweets (not that that should be too much of a problem) and you are more likely to have cavities. As a dental assistant, I've seen countless patients use these agents and then end up getting full front veneers for their teeth because they've worn their teeth down too far and they still have yellowed teeth.

I just think that you need to think about this very carefully before you start. You only get one set for life.

Amber

Thanks Amber - I used it once - it was too much of a pain to try again, this will just be another reason for me not to!

and the hygenist had even commented that my teeth looked good - the dentist told me that use beyond the recommended time frame (like consecutive months ) wouldn't be good but he was okay with use with breaks in between. I am planning on using them for a period right before my DD wedding and had last used them in December. He said no problem.

Perhaps the reaction came from not thoroughly rinsing your mouth after you took them out?

I even popped them in before my commute (45 minutes) then swished out my mouth in the car with some water.

Different folks - different results and reactions.


Jan

Yeah I think it was the sugar alcohol reaction, lke someone suggested. I have only had that reaction with one other food, and it was SF pancake syrup.

I felt exactly the same way I did when I got a Diet Vanilla Coke from a machine to only discover after I drank about a third of it, it was actually a full sugar Vanilla Coke. :blech:

Took me days to overcome the sickness on both occasions. Odlly Maltitol, Manitol, and Xylitol do not affect me in such a manner.


Thanks also for the warnings about the strips. I read the insert and did notice it seems to say once you start using them, you have to continue. I did get the impression they did something to make the teeth more susceptible to staining.

When Crest opens Monday, (they are closed now for the holiday), I plan on asking if anyone else has reported any such problems, perhaps diabetics or other LC'ers. And then asking for my money back!

I struggled through my work night last night, feeling much the way I used to after I carb loaded. I crashed *bad*, and it took all the strength I could muster to drive home.

I still feel icky this afternoon after coming home and almost collapsing. I slept hard, and feel somewhat better, so we shall see.

Someone suggested maybe I was getting the flu. I had many flushes last night where I would get very hot and flushed in my face and arms, and then ache deep inside my arms and legs. That seems to have passed.

I am a bit shocked that if glycerine would cause a reaction much like sugar, that they do not have at least a small note about it on the package or insert.

On a side note, I do believe I was pre-diabetic upon starting this diet, FWIW.