What's the best whitener for me?

 

 I drink coffee every day.

I love red wine.

I obviously need a whitener.

 

 

 

How do you choose the right one for you? Well, you could spend a bunch of time online reading about every option out there, then waste a ton of money on things that A. don't work or B. damage your teeth. Or you could follow me and watch me do it.

 

 

Crest white strips.

Varies- $35-$50

 These things do work, but if you use them I recommend doing it with caution.  They made my teeth sensitive after about a week of daily use.  I couldn't even take a breath in without feeling pain.  Drinking a glass of ice water was unbearable. The sensitivity stopped a few days after I quit using them.  The reason you feel sensitivity is because they strip the teeth of their protective mineral layer and increase the porousness of the teeth. This exposes the tooth's nerves and therefor increases the sensitivity of the teeth.

Some ways to prevent sensitivity would be to use a soft bristled tooth brush with toothpaste for sensitive teeth and don't brush immediately after whitening. Avoid hot and cold drinks the day of and day after whitening. Also, you could take ibuprofen right after whitening. Don't use them every day. Try every other or every third day to start and see how that goes.

 

Here is a link to Crest white strips on Walgreens online store.

 http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/crest-3d-white-whitestrips-dental-whitening-kit/ID=prod6056550-product

They should also be sold in store. From what I've heard it doesn't matter what type you use as long as they stick to your teeth. Avoid any plastic trays that sit in your mouth. They are uncomfortable and cause uneven whitening.

 

 

 

 

Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide

Less than $5



A friend of mine used this method for years. It sort of works. Your teeth will be more white after a few uses and more so the more often you use it. I doubt they will ever become the bright white that we all desire. I suspect this method would be okay for maintaining whiteness once it is achieved with a different method.

On a good note it is very cheap, quick and easy.

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp hydrogen peroxide

1/2 tsp water

Use mixture to brush teeth for about 2 minutes.

Use 1-2 times weekly. Once desired whiteness is achieved cut usage back to 1-2 times monthly. The baking soda is moderately abrasive and you don't want to damage your enamel with over use.

 

 

 

 

Activated Charcoal

$10 for 100 Capsules (one capsule per use)

This is not the charcoal you use on your grill! Don't put that on your teeth. It is actually the stuff they give you when you have been poisoned. I guess you can take it if you get food poising. Its supposed to fix you right up in a matter of hours. I've never tried that. I'm actually very new to this idea. I just bought mine the other day. I will be taking before, during, and after pics and updating this post throughout the process to let you know how it goes.

Activated charcoal is a very porous substance that attracts toxins. Supposedly if you put it on your teeth it will trap any toxins and color and you can spit them right out. Rumor has it that you will see results immediately and you can use it daily as it is non abrasive and wont harm your teeth. Sounds dreamy right? We will see. I will update you tomorrow!

UPDATE!!
I was in a bit of a hurry and I forgot the before pic! You will just have to trust my word on this one for now and watch from here on out to see the progress. Sorry about that!

 Here's the bottle of activated charcoal.

 

 Here is my tooth brush covered in the powder.  I just opened up one capsule and dumped it on my tooth brush, being careful to clean up any spills right away to avoid staining (I heard it can stain clothes or anything porous. It wont stain your teeth, don't worry!)  It does slightly change the color of the brush. If that bothers you just pick up a cheap brush for this use only.


 

Excuse my morning look.

Yes, it will be black in your mouth. Eww, right? I gently brushed my teeth with it for about 2 minutes and then to remove it I just rinsed and brushed as normal.

 

 

 

I am having a hard time getting an accurate picture of my teeth. The color just isn't right on. I guess I really need a better camera than my phone for this, but its going to have to do for now. I would say that my teeth are noticeably whiter in one use. Not a full shade whiter, but I can see a difference. They feel great, like I just got a professional cleaning. I love it!

 

Ill update in the next couple days to let you know how the continued treatment goes.

 

Here's a link if you want to try it yourself. You can buy Activated Charcoal at any drug store, but ill stick to Walgreens for the sake of comparing prices.

 http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/nature's-way-charcoal-activated-280-mg-dietary-supplement-capsules/ID=prod6037588-product

 

 

 

Banana peels, Lemons, or Strawberry's

Fruits and vegetables are naturally abrasive and may help you maintain whiteness if eaten regularly. I definitely recommend adding them to your diet, but not really for the sake of white teeth. Its rumored that if you hold them on your teeth for some amount of time, they will whiten your teeth. This may be true. Fruits are very acidic. If you are holding them on your teeth regularly it will cause enamel damage. I do not recommend this method.

 

 

 

Best of luck on your teeth whitening! Make sure to check back soon for updates to this post about the charcoal and also, to learn how to maintain the whiteness you worked so hard for! If you have tried something that's not on this list or if you have any questions, please leave a comment and ill answer ASAP!