Teeth Whitening

[FedoraGent]

Folks,

I'm a bit skiddish on posting in a room that is predominately ruled by women. And also I don't want to be branded as metro either, but I need an answer. As some of you may have noticed from my photos, I have a small problem with white spots on my two front chompers from when I was a child. Therefore, I'm looking into possibilities for teeth whitening. Has anyone had any good luck with this subject and if so, what did you do or what would you do.

FG.

P.S. Bartenders, if this need to be re-routed to a more appropriate forum, please do.

 

[RetroModelSari]

I tried bleaching once with a bleaching-stripes kit for home some years ago. You wore them over night

The bleachig was hardly noticeable and my teeth became so sensitive that I had to interupt it after a few days.

So even this soft version is nothing for people with sensitive teeth. I can´t tell how it is to have them professionally bleached by a dentist though.

Toothpaste with lemon had a very good effect on my teeth though and they turned a bit more white.

 

[GoldLeaf]

You probably want to consult with your dentist. The white spots in your teeth may or may not become less noticeable if you bleach the rest of your teeth.

I had good results with the Crest white strips. I got mine from the dentist so they were stronger, but didn't cost much more. But really, I didn't end up using all of them, so the OTC ones would probably work just fine. I thought they were sloppy and rather gross. They got all slimy and slid around on my teeth. I also used a brush on gel that worked, but that was pretty gross, too. All goopy and slimy.

I see that there is a new product in trays that looks promising. I would rather use a tray than those strips.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Lady Day]

Do the dentist teeth whitening. I did it years ago (6 to be exact) and my chompers are till pearly. The over the counter stuff just surface cleans. From the dentist (which will be about $150 and up) they will make custom cases for your teeth and generally you will have to sleep in the goo, but it depends on what treatment you get.

Good luck FG,

LD

 

[KittyT]

FedoraGent, are your spots from tetracycline? I've also had spots on my teeth and I went in for Zoom whitening. While I did notice a difference, it was definitely not what I hoped for and the results didn't seem to be permanent (then again, I'm a smoker and I drink coffee, so what can a girl do?) I have noticed that the white spots have faded over time.

What others have said here is good, though. Consult your dentist! He'll really be able to give you the best overview of your options and of the prospects for success in correcting the problem.

 

[Paisley]

I tried those white strips a few years ago and they were so gross I couldn't stand it.

One thing that has made my teeth whiter has been using an electric toothbrush. I use a Sonicare; I forget the model, but I'll check if you're interested. I got it to keep my teeth cleaner after getting several cavities. My last cleaning seemed to involve a lot less scraping than before, and my teeth felt cleaner after I started using the electric toothbrush.

And no, I can't see any spots in your avatar.

 

[gluegungeisha]

I heard that at-home strip kits and such should only be used if you've got a lot of enamel to spare, if you don't have sensitive teeth, and if you're looking for something subtle.

Other than that, consult a dentist. Don't let them overbleach! Freakishly white teeth are not attractive.

 

[goldwyn girl]

I also had mine done at the dentist. I had trays made up and used them while sleeping overnight and the results were excellent.

 

[Tomasso]

Don't let them overbleach! Freakishly white teeth are not attractive.

When my dentist fitted me for my trays he warned against overuse; seems a good many of his patients go overboard. He opined that I should brighten my teeth just enough to highlight my smile, not my teeth. He also prefers the at home system to the 1 hour office treatment (BriteSmile), which he also offers, because the brightness can be incrementally controlled.

 

[FedoraGent]

Thanks!

Thanks folks! Even though I have great dental coverage, I haven't been so I have to find a dentist. And instead of buying the OTC whiteners, I'll ask the dentist.

Thanks,

FG.

 

[princessofcandl]

Hope I didn't miss ya but here's my suggestiong....

I like Listerine Whitening Pre-Brush Rinse. It does the whole kills-germs-and-bad-breath thing but also whitens. You use it before you brush. It sort of foams up in your mouth and then when you spit it out and brush right away you get squeeky clean. Annnnd after just a week of using it I have notices a suble change. I really like it and its no extra work like trays and such.

 

[Polka Dot]

I also like the Listerine rinse stuff. The foaming can get a little out of control, but it's 30 seconds versus 30 minutes for most at-home teeth whitening products.

I recently tried the Aquafresh trays with decent results. They are much less of a pain than the slimy Crest Whitestrips. The pre-filled trays are much more malleable than I had anticipated, though, and the whitening gel still has a way of getting all over the place.

I'm considering saving money to get my teeth professionally whitened, but it's not in the cards right now.

 

[princessofcandl]

I also like the Listerine rinse stuff. The foaming can get a little out of control.

Hahahhaaa... yeah I know what you mean. The stuff grows (for a lack of a better word) so don't over-estimate the size. I did the usual amount for mouthwash the first time and I looked like a rabid chiwawa. Very pretty!

 

[Miss Brill]

Rembrandt's 2 Hour White works wonders. I also like the Whitestrips, and I brush with baking soda.

 

[Renee]

I have a small problem with white spots on my two front chompers from when I was a child.

My 20 y/o son has this, too. The dentist told us that it was an area had been damaged/decalcified while the permanent teeth were developing. It can result in weakened tooth enamel in the white spots, but because it's on your front teeth risk of decay is quite low.

Excessive fluoride as a child can also cause white spots on the teeth, but this tends to affect all the teeth. Because yours are on just the front two (like my son) it's probably decalcified enamel.

Tooth whitening won't affect it. Our dentist told us that the only way to "permanently" fix the problem was to remove the decalcified area and fill in with a bonder. We decided that this was too big of a risk to take. I know that my son is occasionally self-conscious about it, but I don't think the white spots are nearly as noticeable as brown ones.