The Lo-Down on Teeth Whitening

Dazzle Your Smile

WITHOUT MAKING A DENTIST APPOINTMENT AND TRY SOME GREAT AT-HOME TIPS TO GET A BRIGHTER SMILE….

 I’m not sure about you girls, but I think I’ve used every at home whitening treatment out there including some home remedies. The truth is I’ve always had white teeth, but when I look at pictures from when my braces were taken off to now ( about 13 years).  My once pearly whites that I got complimented on almost everyday don’t seem as pearly as they were. Of course I should have done something different to prevent that but you live and learn. Anyway, I’ve pretty much always been obsessed with making sure my teeth were as white as they could be and no that picture above are not my teeth, (I wish). I’m not going to lie because my teeth are still white, I just wish they were as white as they used to be.

Coming from someone who has tried pretty much everything except professional in-office whitening, I wanted to share how some of these products work. 

WHITENING STRIPS are actually very effective and I’ve seen great results by using them. Here are a few tips that they don’t tell you on the back of the package:

 First: be cautious of products that promise a dazzling smile in one session, they don’t always deliver.

 Prep: wait at least 6 hours after brushing your teeth or using mouthwash before whitening; any sooner and the fluoride in those products could prevent the bleach from doing its job.  Wipe your teeth with a tissue right before applying white strips to help them adhere better.

Treat: When placing the strips, place them across your teeth without letting them touch your gums (the peroxide can be irritating). If the strips are too large you can cut them. Use the side of a toothpick to mold the strips in place, and push them into the spaces between your teeth. Defineity don’t eat, or drink while their in your mouth. Try not to even talk, which can shift the strips out of place. I used to always talk with them in and noticed they weren’t in the same place as they were when I put them in.

Perfect:  After the recommended time, remove the strips and wipe your teeth with a tissue again, then try using a whitening pen to cover any areas that the strips could not reach (usually near the gums, or where teeth are crooked). I found using a whitening pen to be effective for this reason. You can brush your teeth afterwards if you want but avoid drinks and food that are dark for at least 36 hours (because that’s when your teeth are more prone to staining).

 If you dedicate your time everyday to using them and use all the strips you will most defiantly see a good difference. Choose strips that are designed to be used daily for a week to ten days like  (Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips have a higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide than over the counter whiteners).

BLEACHING PENS (Go Smile On the Go Teeth Whitening Pen)

This pen uses a 5.25% hydrogen peroxide bleaching gel delivered from the brush. You use this almost like you would use nail polish applied to your nails. The brush on pen works by brushing the gel onto each tooth one at a time. They are very handy when it comes to using them between meals, you can keep it in your purse and use it in the bathroom quickly. The brush tip allows you to apply the formula in tight areas between the teeth. These pens are actually more useful for touch ups or after treatments. I used this pen by itself and then a week after I was finished with the white strips. By itself, you can’t notice too much of a difference but using this after a whitening treatment helps to boost that treatment even more. They also usually take one to two weeks to work.

NATURAL 5 MINUTE TOOTH WHITENING SYSTEM

This is fast and easy to use because of the duplex mouth tray that allows you to whiten both upper and lower teeth at the same time but it's not too effective. These mouth trays are usually used for people who have crooked teeth and if you want it to really work the dentist is the way to go but you’ll end up spending about $300 on a custom molded tray. I saw the 5 min. tooth whitening system online one day and was so excited to try it, bc the person that was advertising it made it seem like it worked wonders. Then a few days later I found the same brand, the whole set ( mouth tray and the whitening gel) at the dollar store  So of course I bought it bc it wasn’t a knock off, it was the real brand. I used it for about 2 weeks and honestly didn’t see any results. That’s the last time I ever tried treatments that included mouth trays, but who knows, their might be some other brands out there that are more effective.

WHITENING TOOTHPASTES

Whitening toothpastes wont dramatically lighten your teeth, but they contain mild abrasive silica to get rid of new stains, which is better than nothing. Don’t think that using a whitening toothpaste will remove stains from your teeth like whitening products. However they will help to remove any stains that could result from the color of food you just ate.  My personal preference is: Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid  Enamel Renewal Toothpaste

Some Tips & Tricks:

1. If you just got a professional cleaning from the dentist plan on whitening your teeth one to two days after

2. If your teeth are sensitive to cold or heat, they might also be sensitive to bleach which can cause discomfort when using some of these products. To help this you can try brushing your teeth with a desensitizing toothpaste (such as Sensodyne) for about a few weeks before whitening your teeth and take one ibuprofen an hour in advance.

3.Don’t consume dark foods or dark drink for at least 72 hours after whitening. If you’re a coffee lover and can't survive without it, chase it with water immediately then brush your teeth.

4. To brighten your smile between treatments, gently rub your teeth with a washcloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide lightens stains, and the cloth is better than a brush at scrubbing stains away.

5. To make yellow teeth appear whiter, wear glossy, blue based lip colors like cherry red, wine, or berry shades. Skip pearly lipsticks, matte finishes, and beige, brown or yellow undertones, all which bring attention to discoloration. One exception: coral, which makes gray teeth appear whiter. (Clinique.com)

Home Made Remedies:

* Drink a cup of tea with lemon in it once a day and you’ll see a change in your smile

* Take one or 2 strawberries and mash them up in a small bowl and add a bit of baking soda to the mix. Mash it all together really well with a fork. Then use an old or disposable toothbrush and spread some of the mix onto the brush. Start brushing your teeth for about 2 minutes with the mix, then try and hold it on your teeth for a minute. Then spit it out and brush your teeth like you regularly would.

This is really great because strawberries contain Malic Acid which is great for removing stains. Its super easy and if you do this about twice a week (or more if you’d like) you’ll probably start seeing results anywhere form 2 weeks to a month. I was actually really surprised to see how well this whitened my teeth. Actually, some famous celebrities swear by this and say this is how they keep their teeth white.

How do you guys feel about whitening products, have you tried any? If so which ones did you like or dislike….let me know