teeth whitening

I would also like to know!!

After eating lunch the other day, I asked my 8 y/o daughter how's my teeth. She replied YELLOW. :sad: :blushing: I have been searching for the cheapest, quickest, effective way to whiten my teeth. Using baking soda and peroxide for now until I can decide which one to buy.

check out this link

http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/teeth-whitening

Something along these lines:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-10ml-Teeth-Tooth-Whitening-Bleaching-Whitener-Gel-44-Carbamide-Peroxide-Kit-/220961245736?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3372510a28

I believe that's 2 or 3x stronger then commercial (crest or whatever) brand whiteners.

Crest Whitestrips are awesome. i've always loved them.

the active ingredient in those is hydrogen peroxide. The dentist has carbamide peroxide. hydrogen peroxide usually is in a lower concentration but causes more sensitivity. Carbamide peroxide comes in a higher concentration but delivers less sensitivity. you need a higher concentration of carbamide for it to be effective. go to your dentist to have the custom fit trays/bleach if you get too much sensitivity w/ crest whitestrips.

this is pretty simple! Just go to your dentist, he will make a mold of your teeth, and you will get a plastic cover that fits your teeth, then you get the whitening gel from your dentist, once a year or so, the plastic cover can be re-made as needed by the dentist, I did this 4 years ago , it is not too expensive, and usually after I have a cleaning I will do the whitening once a year, the gell is about 100 or so and the treatment will last a year usually. Once you do it you will say, "why haven't I done this before"

Once you put the plastic in you leave it in for about an hour, you can do it at work, no one will notice unless you tell them, and it won't effect your job... so it is easy.

^^ This. This is the safest and most effective way of whitening teeth. Dont use products from a supermarket, they may do an initial whiten but the dentist products are the best

I also use Crest White Strips, go for the Professional Effects, they are so much better than the regular ones and the cost difference is worth it. I've been using them for years.

dental insurance doesn't pay for the trays anyway! So check out groupon! Dentists in my area have deals atleast once a month.

Now coming from the Dental Assistant side of me (gotta love that training):

Crest white strips will work, just not as effectively as dental bleach trays because the bleach isn't as strong, but whether you use dental trays or OTC strips/trays here are the sucky rules:

WHILE whitening and for atleast 2 weeks afterwards you should avoid any foods that would stain a white t-shirt. This includes berries, wine, tea, coffee, dark sodas, dark leafy greens, most juices. You also must hydrate hydrate hydrate! The bleach literally dehydrates your teeth (yes your teeth can dehydrate). Your teeth have tiny little holes in them (microscopic) the stronger your enamel the smaller they are, the thiner the enamel (and closer to the dentin) the bigger. Bleach infiltrates these little holes and pulls the stains out but also "dialates" the holes for a short period of time. So if you partake of any of those foods or drinks they will have easier access to the deep portion of your teeth causing deeper (and eventually darker) stains. If your teeth are sensitive they will become MORE sensitive (these little holes lead to the pulp/nerves of your tooth). Bleaching areas with decay WILL hurt! If you have dental work that has fallen out (fillings) DO NOT BLEACH without talking to a dental professional, you could end up needing a root canal. Decalcification will not bleach, it may appear lighter but these can only be fixed by veneers, crowns or fillings. Bleaching usually make decalcification look worse. It is best to bleach after a professional cleaning. ALWAYS brush before bleaching

When I got my braces off my orthodontist gave me a syringe of bleach to use in my retainers. I'm sure dentists have it too. Mine was free, I guess a "parting gift," but I'm sure you could purchase some from a dentist or orthodontist.

a reputable dentist or orthodontist should not sell it to you unless you are an active patient. The bleach you receive in office is stronger then OTC and can do more harm when used wrong

Sprinkle baking soda on your regular toothpaste about 2 times a week. They will be white in no time at all... Also, when you do get ins or have a dental appointment, it makes the cleaning much easier.

I have used peroxide and brushed with baking soda since a child. My uncle was the Dean at University of Pittsburgh Dental School and he advised me of this. People always compliment how WHITE my teeth are.:blushing: