Teeth Whitening

[wendav13]

Has anyone had any luck with over the counter whitening products??

I have always had really white teeth - a result of too many floride pills as a kid - but lately I have started to notice some yellowing on my bottom teeth and everytime I drink red wine my top teeth seem get a little...pink....

[Carly's Mommy]

I tried the Crest Whitestrips on two separate occasions, but discovered that they gave me very severe stomach cramps. I couldn't even stand up to walk straight by about the 3rd day I was using them. The first time I didn't realize it was from the Whitestrips, but when it happened again I figured it out. I didn't notice any huge improvements in the color of my teeth either.

As far as the whitening toothpastes, my dentist told me not to use anything but plain toothpaste because all that extra stuff ends up wearing down the enamel on your teeth. I used to use plain old tarter control toothpaste, but don't anymore because he told me that it's extremely harsh on your teeth.

Pink teeth sound better than yellow teeth. :D

[wendav13]

:D Thanks for the info!! I would rather have discolored teeth than a tummy ache! Maybe I'll just try good old fashioned baking soda..........

[mom2fussbudgets]

We have been talking about the new Listerine Strips on the Bzzagent thread. Have you seen it? :)

http://forums.startsampling.com/showthread.php?t=75&page=19

[wendav13]

Ohh..I did not see that - Thank you bunches!! ;)

[jenniferstell]

I absolutely love the Crest Whitestrips Premium. They gave me really nice results, and I didn't get any stomach cramps. It's actually about time to get some more. It'll usually last me about 9-12 months...depending on what type of "stains" I drink!

[shopsforsix]

My daughter uses the Crest Premium also. I think those are the ones you put on for about 5 minutes! She's had good results from them. No tummy aches!
I ended up getting bleaching trays from my dentist years ago. My teeth were gray from all the medicines I took as a child! What a huge improvement. I wished I'd done it when I was much younger (20's)!!!

Carly's Mommy, I'd never heard that those toothpastes could ruin the enamel. I wonder why my dentist has never said anything? I like the taste of them but will have to ask him about it when I go back in September. Thanks for the heads up on that one!!

[jennyyu]

here are some home remedies for whiter teeth that are both cheap and effective.
Baking Soda: An old-time favorite, baking soda has many purposes, including tooth whitening. Most dentists agree that it's safe to use and works fairly quickly. You can use it alone on a damp toothbrush or mix it with toothpaste to help neutralize the salty taste.
Hydrogen Peroxide: One of the most popular home remedies, peroxide, is cheap and most people have it on hand. Chances are, you will feel some burning in your gums, but you'll be left with clean, whiter teeth. Typically, most people will see results within a couple of weeks but it can happen much sooner. It's also safe to gargle, but don't swallow.
Brush your teeth as you normally do, and then swish for about a minute. Follow up by spitting it out and rinsing thoroughly with water. Another way to use it is by dipping a cotton swap in the solution and gently rubbing it into your teeth, front and back.
Strawberries: Not many people are aware that strawberries contain natural teeth whitening agents and the seeds work great for cleaning. Since they also contain sugar and acids, it's important to brush immediately afterwards with a fluoride toothpaste. For easy and quick application, you can either rub the strawberry against your teeth, or mash it up and use it like toothpaste.
Wood Ash: Strange as it may sound, hard wood ash helps whiten teeth. It contains potassium hydroxide, a compound that will bleach your teeth. The tiny crystals scrape off plague in hard to reach places and will scrub them clean. However, using wood ash often or scrubbing too hard can wear down your tooth enamel, so it's best to avoid using it for long periods of time. To apply it to your teeth, you can put it directly on your toothbrush or mix it with a small amount of toothpaste.
Homemade tooth paste: One of the better home recipes for whiter teeth is a paste consisting of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, table salt and a dab of toothpaste. Mix it all together and brush away stains.

[mkrebecca]

OK, I just tried the listerine whitening and I can't stand it!!!:( :( I don't think it is worth it to have that bad bad taste in my mouth!!! I was not sure about it to begin with, I can't stand the mouth wash. Oh well, now I know!:p

[notyard]

Not at all fond of the Listerine strips--awful taste and aftertaste, and they didn't dissolve in 20 minutes as claimed--ended up brushing the debris off. Also harder to apply than Crest Whitestrips--had to dry my lips and mouth inside first, or the Listerine ones stuck to my lips as I went to fit them onto my teeth. Gooky, yuckky mess! My husband laughed when I wore them--said it looked like you had eaten nothing but white bread for a week and never brushed your teeth--they are totally noticeable when you're wearing them. BLEAHH!

The original and the premium Crest Whitestrips work well for me. They never bothered my stomach or anything. Used the regular ones in 1999, before a big trip, and even my Mom and Dad noticed the difference without me saying anything. Took less than two weeks for a really noticeable improvement. Tried the premium Whitestrips last year, and they worked just as well as the regular Whitestrips--just much faster! :D