Tooth whitening

[PloskoPlus]

So what's the opinion on in-office whitening vs take-home kits?  The dentist suggested both for the best result: Philips Zoom in his office and a take home kit to wear 30 minutes a day for 2 weeks (also using the kit every few months to "touch-up".)

[PloskoPlus]

Thanks.  My concern with that stuff is that it may nuke the enamel.  It's all hydrogen peroxide (bleach) at the end of the day, but dentists can supposedly control it better.

[terry947]

Just try hydrogen peroxide (food grade). like you said its all HP. I wouldnt touch that s**t off ebay, my buddy tired something similar and said his teeth became sensitive and stuff. Also check this tooth paste out!

Imma buy some soon: http://www.theodent.com/

It supposedly rebuilds enamel or coats the teeth. Has good reviews on amazon.

[LoveofScotch]

I tried a take home kit from my dentist (with the custom trays) and I quit because of the sensitivity. I don't get it, either. I don't have sensitive teeth or gums--at all. He suggested spreading out the treatments, but I think that only prolonged the discomfort. I also tried it in winter and the brutal cold may have contributed to the problem. Lesson learned--don't bleach your teeth in January.

I do like the GLO Science, GLO Brilliant Personal Teeth Whitening Device (I think I purchased it from Sephora). It doesn't make a huge difference, but it definitely makes my teeth brighter and I think it also probably helps new stains from forming.

I know a few people who swear by in-office, professional whitening. I haven't had it done, but I know it should take as long to prep your surrounding tissues as the actually procedure takes. If they skimp on the prep you can get black burns, blisters, etc. on your gums and lips. You also don't have to complete every cycle if you're concerned about sensitivity. You could request only 2 of the standard 3 or 4 cycles (each 15 minutes).

[PloskoPlus]

I know a few people who swear by in-office, professional whitening. I haven't had it done, but I know it should take as long to prep your surrounding tissues as the actually procedure takes. If they skimp on the prep you can get black burns, blisters, etc. on your gums and lips. You also don't have to complete every cycle if you're concerned about sensitivity. You could request only 2 of the standard 3 or 4 cycles (each 15 minutes).

The dentist told me that in-office whitening is harsher than take-home kits (unless I misremembered it).  He uses the Philips Zoom system.

[Modigliani]

I've had both and found the take home kit to much more effective than the dentist laser whitening.

[LoveofScotch]

The dentist told me that in-office whitening is harsher than take-home kits (unless I misremembered it).

I was told the same thing.

[jusken]

I recently used some crest white strips just for a quick solution to my teeth yellowing over the years (and many years of braces).  It actually made a big difference, and there are no signs of it just reverting back to the way it was.  Was also fairly cheap.

My teeth still have a bit of gradient yellowing though.  I was thinking about doing one round of in-office whitening to see if  I could fix that.  Intuition tells me this problem would be best solved by a more targeted treatment instead of just strips.  But, this isn't something I've researched a lot.

[Gregor Samsa]

I've had two different dentists tell me that home bleaching is more effective. Doing it in a dentist office only seem to produce a better result initially because the lamp they use dries out the teeth. If you've had on braces then you'll see a huge difference just by letting your dentist polish your teeth a bit.

[molestrip]

I tried those home whitening strips once. My teeth became massively sensitive for like a week afterwards. I have a lot of acid damage though. Still, not recommended by that experience lol.

[PloskoPlus]

I've had two different dentists tell me that home bleaching is more effective. Doing it in a dentist office only seem to produce a better result initially because the lamp they use dries out the teeth. If you've had on braces then you'll see a huge difference just by letting your dentist polish your teeth a bit.

I've had the clean and polish done. They are whiter just from that.  I'm seriously thinking of skipping the in office whitening.  Thanks for the tip. 

[molestrip]

There was a thread on Reddit recently about this. I had a lot of sensitivity with something I bought from Target too. A dentist said if my enamel was thin I was probably just irritating the nerves. He said it doesn't harm enamel, just bleaches it. He recommended the in office treatment, for better control I think. If sensitivity is an issue, then he recommended veneers. Blech. The hygeniest still manages to get them off but I think she's stipping a little enamel off each time.

[molestrip]

Theodent looks interesting. Is it any different than Carifree or Recaldent?

[terry947]

@molestrip - not sure. I'll be buying theodent soon, so we'll see if its legit.