Best Method for Whitening Teeth

L.,
My brother-in-law is an awesome dentist in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood of Minneapolis. He is running a special right now... I think it's like $100 of Zoom! He did my teeth last spring (my 40th birthday present) and they look GREAT! He also gave me trays to bring home and some gel to touch them up when they start showing the wear and tear of coffee, soda, tea, etc. I haven't needed it yet. They still look great!

Call him at Mill City Dental, if you're interested. ###-###-####

I don't think you need the coupon, but if you do, let me know and I'll send one to you!
K.

Great question. I used to work for a dentist before I decided to stay at home with my babies, and we heard that question all the time. In the past I have always used the crest whitening strips they work good on the front of your teeth, but they don't get the back ones. They, unlike professional whitening don't cost that much and if you have sensitive teeth they won't hurt as much. The professional whitening is better in the way that they will take an impression, make you a tray and you will be able to whiten all of your teeth (even the back). The down side is the cost of course, but once you pay the initial cost of the trays you only have to buy the replacement gel which is not that expensive. If you do happen to have sensitive teeth it may bother you to the point that you won't even use it anymore. If you don't I would say go with the professional whitening you will be much happier with it. Good Luck!!

I've tried a few treatments from the store and nothing I found worked like I wanted them too. I'm considering the dentist option. Curious to see what others found that worked as well.

GOOD LUCK!

I use the newest version of Crest Whitestrips, cheap and they really do work. I don't consider myself to have sensitive teeth but I tried more expensive brands and some of them left white spots on my gums or made my gums bleed and left my teeth very sensitive to cold foods. Also, as a daily cleaner, I always buy whitening toothpaste.

There are many methods for whitening teeth, both at the dentist and over-the-counter. There are some factors too look at though. Do you have any white filling on your front teeth? If you do, keep in mind that none of the whiteners you use will whiten those fillings. If you are serious about whitening, keep in mind that those fillings may need to be replaced (and most dental insurances will likely not cover that). If you don't have any fillings on any of your front teeth, I have found that Crest White Strips seem to work well for most people. You want to make sure that your teeth are clean before you use them. Some people do experience sensitivity while whitening, but simply use a sensitive toothpaste during that course and continue to after bleaching completion until those symptoms subside. I am a dental hygienist and I've seen people use every type of whiteners and I am satisfied with Crest White Strips because of their ability to whiten and there affordable cost. One thing I do recommend is that you don't wear the top and bottom strips at the same time, as I think that it makes talking difficult. Good luck!

It depends on why your teeth are lacking whiteness. If it is due to drinking coffee, teas, soda etc, then a whitener is a good thing. However if it is because of childhood use of antibiotics, that is in the tooth, not on the surface. My husband had the latter and did use a kit, however, if you use it too much your teeth can begin to pit and the enamel become weakened. I would consult a dentist and ask which home kit it most useful.
Smile!
J.

Hi L., I am a dental hygienist and I feel the best way to whiten is to use the tray method through your dentist. You will get great results and they will be able to monitor you and your progress and give you advice if you have any concerns or questions. As long as you do not have any fillings or crowns on your front teeth, and your teeth do not have intrinsic stain like the stain caused by antibiotics then you are a good candidate for whitening. Zoom works fine however it is more expensive and you will need to follow up with trays anyway to maintain your whitening. We have been doing whitening in our office for 10 plus years and there has not been one case of someones teeth becoming more brittle like others have listed. Also keep in mind that you can become sensitive during the process and may need to use a sensitivity toothpaste and fluoride rinse e.g. act. When you are done with the initial phase of whitening your sensitivity can linger for a few weeks and then tapers off. This is something you can work through with your dentist, and is another reason to go through them. Good luck!

I like the Target strips--they're much easier to use than Crest strips and work just as well. They're under $20 I think. I use them every 6 months and they REALLY work. You'll notice a difference after about 4 days of them. Enjoy!

Don't get your hopes up too high because most of the "beautiful white teeth" you see walking around in the world have veneers or crowns placed over their "unable to get white enough" teeth. The cost is appox. $1000 per tooth. On the brighter side, my husband has very white teeth naturally and is able to use whitening strips to keep them quite white.
Good luck.

Don't do the Zoom whitening! The only reason it works (or looks like it works) is because it dehydrates the bone of the teeth. It leaches out all moisture so the teeth look really white for a couple of weeks and then slowly go darker. If you're going to do any kind of whitening, I'd try using the OTC whitening strips first. If those don't have enough of an effect, then maybe ask your dentist about the trays. Just be aware that whitening makes teeth really sensitive and the faster you whiten, the more sensitive your teeth will be.

Hi L., I have sensative teeth, so I asked the dentist what to do, he said just use perioxied and baking soda!!

Doing the whitening stuff just ruins the enamel on your teeth!

Good luck, Gina

I use Crest Whitening Strips and my dentist has also told me that they work just as good as getting them professionally whitened. They even have 5 minute strips now! I'd go that route and save some cash!

Listerine and Crest both make a pre-brush rinse with baking soda and peroxide. I have found the listerine brand to work well - the only thing I don't like is that it does make the skin inside your mouth "peel" The skin peels off in slimy chunks. It isn't painful, just annoying and kind of gross. I have found if I cut down to once per day with the rinse and skip the weekends, it nearly eliminates the peeling.

I heard that brushing your teeth with strawberries helps. I've never tried it myself, but I wouldn't be surprised if it worked. :) It would most definitely taste better than bleach!

The best that I've found is the Crest Whitestrips. There are a few different kinds of Crest...just get the cheapest, I think they work great. I've had trays fitted before and I hated them...plus they only whitened 1/2 of my teeth! Good luck, it really makes a difference!