Teeth Whiteners

Does anyone use a otc teeth whitener that they would recommend. Or used one you wouldn't recommend?

I'm a smoker and coffee drinker. For years I've used a whitening system from my dentist that I loved. But, then the dog chewed up the top tray (yup, the same poop eating dog ). I really don't want to pay another $200 for a new tray since my insurance doesn't cover it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Charlotte

the crest white strips are good but messy. They work well if you stick with them. One thing though, if you have sensitive teeth, stay away..they may make your teeth more sensitive!

I hear good things about the new whitener tray product. Do not use the brush-on whineners, they don't work.

The mouth rinses work for slighly yellow teeth, but if you want sparkling white I'd use the strips

How funny (well, not really). My dog did the same thing to mine. I ordered new ones though since they seem to be on the top of the list of things that really do work. It about killed me but I splurged knowing I would kick myself later for not doing it when I had a little extra money. Thanks for the reminder. I need to give myself a treatment. I don't really like doing it because my teeth are then sensitive for awhile but I sure love those white teeth!

I think I might get the otc tray ones that Lovegia brought up, but use the gel I get from the dentist. My teeth are pretty sensitive too, so I'm a little leery about the otc stuff.

Do you use Sensodyne? It seems to help, but I still hate going in for my teeth cleaning bcause it hurts.

Charlotte

I have tried so many different OTC ones and they all make my teeth hurt soooo bad!

Ya I do use the Sensodyne. Still pretty sensitive after a treatment for a couple of days

I agree with lovegia.
Crest white stripes work very well. I have not had any luck with toothpaste whiteners.

What I do is use a electic toothbush, regular.. what is it called... prohealth (I think) toothpaste, and crest white strips every so often. Sometimes I just use a little baking soda with the toothpaste. It works

Here is a little known tooth whitener and oral rinse that your dentist will not tell you about. Hydrogen Peroxide. Sold otc at your local drug store for a few dollars. MAKE SURE YOU USE 3%. I researched this quite a bit before using it and my son's doctor had him use it as an oral rinse when he had a horrendous case of tonsillitis. In case you are worried, it says right on the bottle - "oral rinse".

Anyway I've been using it for a week and it is even whitening the stains on my ceramic fillings which the tooth strips did nothing for. Hydrogen Peroxide is the ingredient in the whitening products that whitens your teeth. I just dilute it 50% with water, and hold it in my mouth for 30-60 seconds, spit out, rinse and off you go. I also disinfect my toothbrush by resting it in HP for about 30 seconds before I brush. You can use it straight without any problems but I choose to dilute it.

It is soooo much cheaper than whitening products so people who are invested in selling those things don't really want you to know.

I mostly started using it because I was worried about my gums as I get older. HP is used as an oral rinse to help prevent gingivitus. The tooth whitening effects are a very nice added bonus.

Anyone who is warning you against it is talking about 30% HP which is sold for commercial use. You can't even get that at your drug store- or at least not my local ones.

Here are a couple of the links about it.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/274232/how_to_whiten_your_teeth_cheaply_with.html

http://www.actualcures.com/hydrogen-peroxide-ends-gingivitis-keeps-teeth-gums-healthy/

Alli

Alli, You are the only other person I know who has ever used hydrogen peroxide as a rinse! Whoo hoo!!
When I was in college I took voice lessons for years - I sang opera and musical theatre. Well, I sang opera so that I could sing musical theatre, LOL My first voice teacher recommended HP as a gargle when her students got sick. A very watered down gargle, for sure, and she said to do it only once a day because, and I quote, "it will kill all the germs, bad AND good".
To this day, whenever I feel a sore throat coming on, I gargle with HP. After I got my tonsils out, though, I confess I rarely get sore throats any longer.

Isn't that funny?

We always used HP to treat cuts when I was a kid. I can still see if foaming when you poured it on. Now you are not supposed to use HP on cuts as it gets rid of the good stuff to, so use soap and water or a saline solution to clean a cut.

When my son's Dr had him use it for a raging case of tonsillitis I was a bit freaked out, but man, did it work!

I glad to see someone else uses it too. I'm quite amazed at how well it is working to whiten my teeth and my gums are not bleeding anymore.

Isn't it funny how the old wives remedies are always the cheapest and work the best? We always gargle with apple cider vinegar when we feel a cold coming in and we are now using it to get rid of the fleas on our cats. My Nana used apple cider vinegar for EVERYTHING from colds to poison oak.

You're not supposed to use HP on cuts? Well that's a new one on me. We used it on all our critters when they would get injured. That and Vitamin E I credit with my horse not having a nasty scar on his face following an accident. Well...hmmm....I suppose neosporin/bacitracin are the more correct things to use on cuts nowadays but I'm still not convinced it works better than good old HP. New-fangled inventions....

Hmmm, I suppose that makes sense about not using it on cuts, since it kills good germs as well as bad, but I never thought of that before. I still use it on cuts though.

I love apple cider vinegar! Know what I use it for? My hair. I make a rinse out it. About a quarter cup of ACV to about 1 1/2 cups of warm water. Then I wash my hair, rinse the shampoo out, rinse the ACV water through it, scrubbing my scalp with the ACV rinse, rinse that out, and condition. The ACV restores acid balance to PH balance in the hair. It's great for curly hair, gives it life and bounce and makes it squeaky clean without having to use any harsh cleansers (I don't use any shampoos that have harsh cleansers in them).

This is turning into a home remedy thread I love home rememdies!

I hadn't thought of using ACV for a hair rinse! I bet it works great! I wonder if it works for scalp conditions.

HP kills good bacteria and the good things in your body that are trying ot heal the wound. The suggestion now is either saline solution, like what you use for contacts or for healing peircings - JUST saline solution - not contact cleaner, or the good ole soap and water. They won't kill the good stuff, just the baddies.

Apparently a few drops of ACV in your pets water will keep them from getting goopy eyes and make them not so tasty for fleas. I'm trying this one and will update if anyone is interested.

ACV is good for healthy scalps. My grandma says so, anyway
I love what it does for my curls. Just don't use too much when you dilute for a rinse, or you'll smell it in your hair afterward. I just did it today, in fact. I do it once every week to 10 days.

I'll try that for my cat. He doesn't go outside so I think he's pretty safe from fleas, but the dog does go outside, and could bring them in, and I'm always worried he could bring fleas in that the cat can get. Some ACV in the water to help with fleas would be a cheap alternative to flea medication!

Peroxide is great stuff. It is good for ear wax too.
Some drs like it others don't, but my dad used it for years and came to no harm
fizzes with the wax and if it doesn't then you probably don't have any.....

Our family have also used it as mouth was and tooth whitener.


P

My Mom always used HP on our cuts. Followed by methiolaid. Ouch, burn, string....no Mommy no!!!!

I'll definitely give it shot for the teeth whitner.

Thanks guys!

Charlotte