Things I Don’t Do: Teeth Whitening
By Glinda
Good lord, I just don’t have enough hours in the day.
I already have a hard enough time keeping my feet and hands properly moisturized, much less making sure my teeth are an “acceptable” pearly white. Because the whitening industry would have you believe that anything less than that is just gross.
I don’t even use a whitening toothpaste. The horror! I do use a SonicCare toothbrush, which makes me feel a bit better about it, though.
During the run-up to my nuptials, I admit to using Crest Whitestrips for about a month. I was concerned that my teeth might look bad in the photos when compared to my dress, and I was afraid that for all eternity, there would be photographic proof that I had horrible yellow teeth.
Of course, I didn’t really think I had horrible yellow teeth, I was just concerned in general that I needed to look good for my wedding photos, because I was only going to get one shot at them. And I was paying enough money that those suckers were going to turn out perfect if it killed me.
Whitening strips aren’t the only way of getting whiter teeth, there are a number of different ways, most of them expensive.
I know that you can use baking soda, but it isn’t recommended as a long-term solution, as it can wear away your enamel. You can also use hydrogen peroxide, but I’m always afraid I’m going to swallow it, and it’s one of those things that the more I think about NOT swallowing it, the more I feel like I’m going to.
Yes, I might need to speak to a professional about that.
Mabye in a few years when my toddler isn’t quite so dependent upon me, I can get back to the slog of trying to coax my teeth to their whitest shade, but not right now.
It does sort of make me annoyed that we see celebrities with these perfect white teeth, but the reality is that almost all of them have veneers, which at a minimum of $500 per tooth, is pretty much out of my reach.
Do you whiten your teeth? Or is a “whitening” toothpaste the farthest you’ll go?
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:03 am
Mr Carol and I both use a whitening toothpaste, but only because we found it on sale at a cost less than the regular one we were using before. It does take off the coffee and red wine stains nicely. We buy in bulk, so we’re set for a while.
I might use a whitening rinse once in a while (when I remember I have it) if I’m going to a wedding or somewhere there might be photos involved.
June 2nd, 2011 at 10:23 am
I use a whitening toothpaste and a pre-rinse. That’s about as far as I’ll go. I have gum issues and I have to brush about three times a day to keep my gums healthy so I figure why not get the toothpaste and rinse that my dentist recommended with the whitening stuff in it. (Dentist said it would be fine.)
I’ve been offered a couple times to get my teeth whitened professionally as a gift for birthday or Christmas but I can always think of something that I’d rather have instead. Maybe sometime I won’t and I’ll do it but its not on the top of my list.
June 2nd, 2011 at 12:05 pm
I’ll do the white strips if I remember before a heavily photographed event– otherwise its just a whitening toothpaste- mostly because its cheap and easy.
June 2nd, 2011 at 12:31 pm
I use a natural tooth-whitening pen called White2Nite. You brush it onto your teeth, smile to keep your lips off your teeth for about 30 seconds, and you’re good to go. I used it daily for a couple of weeks and was really happy with the results. The girl who sold it to me said the results should last for about five months. That was three months ago and so far, so good.
June 2nd, 2011 at 1:15 pm
I do use a whitening toothpaste, but I’m on an anti-aging jag in anticipation of the big 5-0 this year. Discolored teeth are very aging, first thing I notice in older people.
June 2nd, 2011 at 4:06 pm
I think whitening isn’t really recommended for people with sensitive teeth and gums, right?
June 2nd, 2011 at 8:47 pm
I have veneers on my upper incisors, but they’re not pearly white and never will be. The Navy slapped them on to compensate for dramatic sensitivity caused by near-total absence of enamel (the bottom edges were transparent!). I had a botched procedure done in my teenage years to remove spots. The rest of my teeth are stained a pale yellow by the same problem that caused the spots, so the veneers that were installed are the same shade. If I tried to whiten my teeth I’d look a bit odd, because the veneers would still be yellowish!
June 3rd, 2011 at 9:36 am
I have tried using whiteners in the past, and I’ve no reason to believe that whitening toothpastes actually whiten anymore than any plain toothpaste. I do see my dentist every six months though, and I’ve asked about a whitening procedure. He actually warned me against it. All whiteners (in the dentists’ offices and in the over the counter products) use chemicals to bleach the enamel, which will make teeth sensitive. This means dentists then have to treat your teeth for sensitivity, which is usually done by exposing you more flouride than you’d ever want to have. So instead I just floss, and brush with flouride free toothpaste, and I rinse with a mouthwash/low % hydrogen peroxide mix rinse every few days or so. Then I use a lipstick colour that plays down the natural yellowy colour of teeth and plays up their whiteness.
June 3rd, 2011 at 11:44 pm
I recently read a great review of “Rembrandt D”, both the paste and the mouthwash. Both are new products. I purchased both products and currently use them and I have to say, having used the strips, peroxide, baking soda, etc., this by FAR was the best. I noticed results right away and so did my family. Now they all use the products. So far, no problems from anyone. We don’t use it everyday…about 3-4 times a week.