Best at home teeth whitening kits?

[LoveLikeCrazy]

Hey everyone,

Slightly off topic, but I was wondering if anyone had recommendations as to the best at home teeth whitening kits? I really want the brite smile or zoom whitening, but alas that isn't in my college student budget I'm also not ready to commit to the trays thru the dentist either (those are pretty expensive too)!!!

What has worked, doesn't work...general comments? Thanks in advance!

 

[AprilBaby]

Don't do brite smile or zoom. Most offices gave up on that because people's teeth hurt after. Go with crest white strips.
1. Don't brush with paste before, it blocks the bleach.
2. Do twice a day at least 7 days, no skipping.
3. Brush with sensodyne right after you take them off.
4. Strip is dead after half hour, won't help to wear longer.
5. Touch up with strips for a day or two after each check up.

Will whiten several shades for about 18 mo if you follow these directions.

 

[junebug17]

I used the two hour Crest strips the other day and they definitely whitened my teeth a bit. I think you're only supposed to use them a few times a year, but not sure.

 

[tuffyluvr]

I had great results with Crest Whitestrips. My teeth were white for several years--though I'm not a heavy coffee or soda drinker or a smoker. I bought the Crest Whitestrips 3D professional/advanced/whatever (the stronger ones) about 6mo ago and I noticed some sensitivity using those so I highly recommend starting with the lower strength.

 

[amc80]

Another vote for crest white strips!

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

Don't do brite smile or zoom. Most offices gave up on that because people's teeth hurt after. Go with crest white strips.
1. Don't brush with paste before, it blocks the bleach.
2. Do twice a day at least 7 days, no skipping.
3. Brush with sensodyne right after you take them off.
4. Strip is dead after half hour, won't help to wear longer.
5. Touch up with strips for a day or two after each check up.

Will whiten several shades for about 18 mo if you follow these directions.

Thank you aprilbaby! I will try this! So after the 7 days do you just do a set after every visit? (I go for cleanings 2x a year) or is it just a few strips for a few days after cleanings?

Great response for the crest ones! Thanks everyone I guess that will be what I go with!

 

[kenny]

The active ingredient in expensive teeth whitening products is very cheap, under a dollar a bottle.
Rinse for a minute with a 50/50 solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water nightly for two weeks.

 

[iLander]

The active ingredient in expensive teeth whitening products is very cheap, under a dollar a bottle.
Rinse for a minute with a 50/50 solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water nightly for two weeks.

Kenny speaks the truth.

Just don't swallow it.

 

[kenny]

Yes, thanks.
Don't swallow and if you experience any sensitivity in your gums reduce strength or duration.

Put the money you saved into your fancy colored diamonds piggy bank.

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

Thank you iLander and Kenny! I will try this! Luckily I have a nice new bottle of my .83 cent hydrogen peroxide at home! I will start tonight!

I like to save money wherever possible, so I will def try this. My teeth are pretty white, I do drink tea but its green tea, and I do drink coffee daily. My dentist gave me a "complex" because he said my teeth are so straight, they would look even better if I bought his 700 trays and freshened them up so I assumed they must be looking bad, maybe it was a marketing ploy...but tell that to a girl and she'll run with it! I always get complemented on my nice teeth so this was most DEFINATELY a shock!

Thank you again

Edit: iPad typos!

 

[kenny]

A dentist's profit margin on teeth whitening is HUUUUUUUUUUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!

In fact I found out about using cheap old HP from my dentist's hygienist.
She whispered it into my ear after I promised to never reveal to the doctor that she told me about it.

 

[VRBeauty]

April Baby: Can you over-whiten?

 

[ksinger]

April Baby: Can you over-whiten?

Oh yeah.

The poster-girl and ultimate warning...
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PaulaDeen/posts

And what dentists think about the whitening craze...

U.S. Dentists Can't Make Nation's Teeth Any Damn Whiter
http://www.theonion.com/articles/us-dentists-cant-make-nations-teeth-any-damn-white,164/

 

[Jackwilliam]

I got my home teeth whitening kit from http://www.pearlywhitescenter.com/site/homerefillkit.html and I have a great experience with this home teeth whitening kit. They provide home teeth whitening kits at budget friendly cost. You can try this.

 

[SB621]

There is something on pinterest that I found a while ago and tried. I was very happy with the results actually and it was all stuff I had in the house.

Put a tiny bit of toothpaste into a small cup, mix in one teaspoon baking soda plus one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide, and half a teaspoon water. Thoroughly mix then brush your teeth for two minutes.

http://trendypics.net/home_decor/put-a-tiny-bit-of-toothpaste-into-a-small-cup-mix-.html

 

[NewShiny]

I second using hydrogen peroxide. I don't even measure or mix with water. Just take a little swig straight from the bottle before brushing, swish for 30-60 seconds, spit it out, then brush as usual. I did this for a month before my sister's wedding and had great results. It was a little weird at first but I got used to it within a few days.

Before I discovered the HP, I tried the whitestrips. They made my teeth hurt though. Don't waste your money on the strips, they aren't necessary!

 

[ponder]

Baking soda and HP whether alone or used together are not suitable for long term daily use. Baking soda is highly abrasive and can damage enamel if used long term. HP is an irritant to the mucosal tissue and can enlarge and elongate the papilla on the tongue allowing for plaque and stain to become trapped on the tongue causing an unattractive appearance of the tongue and increase the presence of bad breath. Crest white strips are the OTC whitening product that I see the best results in the most amount of people.

 

[kenny]

Baking soda and HP whether alone or used together are not suitable for long term daily use.

That's why I do not use them for long term daily use, and have never recommended this.
I use HP diluted 50 50 with water daily for around 2 weeks a few times a year.
Don't swallow.

I will not pay perhaps 1000 times more for strips that uses cheap old HP as its active ingredient.
I'd feel like a sucker falling for marketing, just like paying to attend a wedding or paying thousands a year for a cellphone.
People vary and YMMV, so continue buying strips if you like, or pay your dentist a zillion times more if you like.

A bottle of 3% HP is around a buck.
I save my money for colored diamonds.

It's okay for all of us to say what we do and why and let everyone make up their own mind.

 

[ponder]

Baking soda and HP whether alone or used together are not suitable for long term daily use.

That's why I do not use them for long term daily use, and have never recommended this.
I use HP diluted 50 50 with water daily for around 2 weeks a few times a year.
Don't swallow.

I will not pay perhaps 1000 times more for strips that uses cheap old HP as its active ingredient.
I'd feel like a sucker falling for marketing, just like paying to attend a wedding or paying thousands a year for a cellphone.
People vary and YMMV, so continue buying strips if you like, or pay your dentist a zillion times more if you like.

A bottle of 3% HP is around a buck.
I save my money for colored diamonds.

It's okay for all of us to say what we do and why and let everyone make up their own mind.

You didn't, but someone else did. I just want people to know that there can be negative side effects to OTC whitening that had not been previously discussed. I believe strip whitening side effects had already been mentioned (sensitivity and gum irritation). Ultimately what you use to whiten really depends on how fast you need to be whiter. If you need to be white tomorrow, you are going to need to see your dentist. If you need to be white by this weekend, strips may work. If you have time and are dedicated, diluted HP can work. It all comes back to the concentration of the whitening agent (HP or carbamide peroxide) and the frequency of use.