Tooth Whitening

[marcoalza]

So at 50 years old, plenty of red wine & good food I think the time is right for me to overhaul me pegs.

Can anyone recommend a home whitening treatment?

I reall don't want to pay through the nose at my dentist & I really, really want avoid a Hollywood white finish too, just want to lighten them a few shades.

Any advice, recommendations or things to avoid will be appreciated.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Tooth Whitening

this is way too funny. asking about teeth whitening at a boating website??


Brush for a couple weeks with baking soda

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: Tooth Whitening

Have it done professionally first then follow through regularly with any of those over the counter stuff, brush with baking soda as mentioned.
To protect the enamel it is imperative to go heavy with a good fluoride treatment.

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Tooth Whitening

I will ask my wife tonight. She's a dental hygienist. They go through this type of stuff with patients all the time.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Tooth Whitening

Helpful article http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-dentists-cant-make-nations-teeth-any-damn-white,164/

 

[sasto]

Re: Tooth Whitening

A few years ago I was unable to brush my teeth for over a year due to chemo treatments. You can imagine how they looked. Upon my ladies recommendation I used those Crest White Strips, they worked wonders for me.....my tooth is pearl white (actually I only lost a few back teeth), but have read dosen't work for everybody. . See?

Good Luck!

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Tooth Whitening

this is way too funny. asking about teeth whitening at a boating website??

errrrr excuse me.....

"Dockside Chat Here to talk not only about boating but just want to enjoy the huge community of members at iboats"

Thanks.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Tooth Whitening

Helpful article http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-dentists-cant-make-nations-teeth-any-damn-white,164/

Just read the article ezmobee.

That is funny I really don't want see through teeth!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tooth Whitening

do
it the old fashioned way, its cheap:

It was Barbers also who began applying nitric acid on teeth to whiten them, but with a damaging effect on the enamel which led to teeth decay in all cases.

Ironically this set back for tooth whitening did not deter people from the practice. Instead it's popularity continued to grow until it became a status symbol for one to have his teeth bleached white with the destructive nitric acid

 

[Av8nBill]

Re: Tooth Whitening

Whatever you do, don't fall for one of those dentists that offer the free "ZOOM" whitening with a check up. That was one of the most miserable experiences at a dentist that didn't involve a drill that I've ever had and it didn't work nearly as well as the original Crest WhiteStrips do.

 

[FBPirate95]

Re: Tooth Whitening

Ok, I talked to my wife and a couple of her peers. They're consensus is not to whiten. They said in all cases they see people who continually used whitening products such as bleach trays, whitening strips, peroxide etc wind up having more cavities. These products weaken the enamel and lead to tooth decay. Their thought is that its better to have strong healthy stained teeth, than pearly white brittle and carries ridden teeth.

She recommends just putting some baking soda on your toothbrush and brushing occasionally to help lessen the staining due to coffee, wine, smoking etc.

And just to speak personally from what I learned as she was going through hygiene school, you just have to take care of your teeth and mouth. So many studies have been done proving how your oral care is closely related to your overall health, including diabetes, heart disease etc. You can't imagine some of the stuff I've seen in her books as I helped her study. Its no joke. As corny as it sounds, listen to your dentist!!!! FLOSS AND FLUORIDE!!!

 

[Mark42]

Re: Tooth Whitening

A few hundred years ago people would whiten their teeth by swishing with their urine in the morning. The uric acid would bleach the teeth. Its free, it works, and that's about as much of a positive spin I can put on it.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Tooth Whitening

A few hundred years ago people would whiten their teeth by swishing with their urine in the morning. The uric acid would bleach the teeth. Its free, it works, and that's about as much of a positive spin I can put on it.

Speaking from experience??!!

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Tooth Whitening

A few hundred years ago people would whiten their teeth by swishing with their urine in the morning. The uric acid would bleach the teeth. Its free, it works, and that's about as much of a positive spin I can put on it.

Please let me know if it works before I try it

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Tooth Whitening

this is way too funny. asking about teeth whitening at a boating website??


Brush for a couple weeks with baking soda

Boaters want to look good even when they are not on the boat

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Tooth Whitening

My teeth are not naturally white, they have a yellow tint to them, so no matter what I do they still come out yellow.

 

[rbh]

Re: Tooth Whitening

My teeth are not naturally white, they have a yellow tint to them, so no matter what I do they still come out yellow.

I guess you can always get one of those sherman william color charts, stand in front of the mirror and get the right shade.

So next time you go to the dentist and he says your teeth sure are yellow, you can say, no their not, they are spring daisy! ETC.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

Re: Tooth Whitening

My wife went to the dentist to repair a bad front tooth from a fall she suffered a while ago. The dentist capped it and started her on Nite White @ 16% to get her teeth white before they did the color match for the new cap.

I found the same stuff on Ebay and use the 35% formula for $400 less then her insurance paid for hers. Her teeth are too sensitive to use anything higher than the 16%.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NiteWhite-ACP-1...043?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c177857c3

 

[ToothDocNick]

Re: Tooth Whitening

I am a dentist and would like to offer a little here.

1) It is impossible to predict the outcome of any bleaching treatment. Everyone reacts differently to the materials used.

2) Most products distributed by a licensed dentist do not harm the teeth if used properly. Those that are over the counter are not as guaranteed. The crest white strips are a good thing and have been tested. I would avoid Rembrandt and other such options.

3) Whitening Toothpaste only removes external stains on a tooth. It does so by using a courser blend of products to be slightly more abrasive. If you have internal staining, no form of toothpaste or mouth rinse will remove that.

4) Good Electric toothbrushes can help in removing external stain. A nice ultrasonic brush like a Sonicare or similar by Oral-B will remove stain as well and keep things whiter longer if the stains are external.

5) If you have internal stain you must look at some form of bleaching product. A tooth is built like a piece of fiber-optic cable. It is made up of a bunch of little tubes. Internal stain falls within those tubes. When we brush/use bleaching products/injure/ingest some foods....we can open those tubules (remove a smear layer or peillicle). When we do we can get stain or remove stain. Bleaching products work by opening those tubes and "bleaching" the internal aspects. The most common bleaches are peroxide derivatives, and will oxidize the internal aspect of the tubes.

6) After bleaching teeth can be sensitive from the tubes being opened. This can be resolved by using a fluoride rinse or application to seal the tubes back up. Normal saliva will also seal the tubes back up over time. You are not actually removing enamel during the process of bleaching (with an approved product and used correctly). You can also reduce the duration of time you bleach to lessen sensitivity.



In my office.....if someone is unsure of how far they would like to go I recommend the Crest White Strips Professional, unless they have crooked or crowded teeth (the white strips are not meant to full cover crowded or crooked teeth). If they use them and want to go lighter I recommend custom bleach trays and 16-20% carbamide peroxide. You can use the trays for 2-4 weeks and then buy bleach refills as needed. You can expect to need a touch-up every year for 1-2 weeks depending on external factors.

I know you can go to the beauty shop to get some of these things and you will see booths in the mall etc. It is illegal in most states to operate these places and sell these products. We are required to have done an exam on our patients and verified that there are no areas of decay. Areas of decay and be worsened by bleaching and should be taken care of before bleaching begins.

Just my thoughts and have a good day.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Tooth Whitening

Thanks Doc!