What's the best way to whiten your teeth?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’d like to try to whiten my teeth and there are many products out there. What products have you tried and how well have they worked?

Thanks.

2

Liquid paper. :smiley: ← see how white they are now???

Failing that, I’m using one of Colgate’s new “tooth-whitening” brushes, it’s got some sort of polishing thing built into it, and the whitening toothpaste. I’m not seeing results (yet) but it’s only been a couple weeks. Plus the last time I went to the dentist was 15 years ago, so maybe that’s as white as they’re gonna get without professional intervention.
Max.

3

Crest Whitestrips really worked for me and my boyfriend. The color will eventually come back, I think, but it’s good for at least 6 months.

4

The heavy-duty white strips are the best. Seven days, twice a day, and my teeth look maaahvelous. And I’m a smoker.

I’ll tell you what NOT to try. Anything that requires you to mix stuff. In my experience, it tastes way shittier than the strips, and it’s messy and time-consuming.

5

most whitening products contain either abraisives or chemicals that degrade the enamel as they strip or bleach stains, and hasten decay.

the once or twice a year treatments like the strips are likely much better than the everyday whitening toothpastes or chewing gums, though if you can afford it or have a dental plan i suggest getting your dentist to take a look & suggest an appropriate remedy.

6

I used the regular Crest Whitestrips and they worked to a degree. I didn’t finish the whole two weeks though because they made my bottom teeth ache if I used the strips twice a day like I was supposed to. Not my top teeth, just the bottoms and just enough so I couldn’t get any sleep for my teeth hurting. I don’t know if anyone else experiences that problem but it was enough for me to stop using them for awhile. I might finish off the rest of the strips by using them once a day instead of twice.

7

I have the custom dental trays and “Opalescence” product from my dentist. Cost is about $400 to start (dental mold), but the gel in the trays costs ~$8. I get 2 refills about every 6 months. They work really well, except you have to keep your teeth very clean to keep the plaque build-up down or it becomes whiter than your teeth. My dentist says this is the only product that works - stuff sold OTC doesn’t have enough strength to whiten to such a degree.

The only drawback I find is that the gel causes my teeth to ache for a day or 2 after use. It can be very annoying to downright painful. He recommended I use Gelcam for the tooth sensitivity.

Overall: worth the up-front cost of $400.