teeth whitening

[appletarts]

Has anyone done a teeth whitening home kit? I'm a bit worried because a friend did her's and they look tip-exed. Does anyone have a recommendation please?

[Charliefox]

Crest whitestrips. Have a look for other threads on here. Whitestrips comes up time and again.

[SLallu]

Hi I'm a dentist so should be able to help .....
if you go for a home whitening kit get a professional one made by a dentist for two reasons

1. the dentist will check you teeth and make sure you enamel is suitable to whiten
   
2. you will get a perfectly fitting tray that will apply the get to the right parts of the tooth and avoid gums etc
   \it is worth getting it done properly

[Piemother]

I bought mine from a salon who first sent me to a denture maker to get a mould made from which he made the tray mentioned ^. The product was syringes of what is mostly bleach. It worked brilliantly and doesn't look like tippex but I know the look you mean as I've seen it on adverts for a local hairdresser.
I will warn you that sitting for 45 minutes with vile tasting gel on your teeth and not bring able to talk isn't pleasant but it did work and looks v natural

[MrsMorton]

^^ there is so much about that process that is illegal in the uk piemother that I don't know where to start.

[Piemother]

Mrsmorton - actually that doesn't surprise me from what I know of the salon owner bit hey ho my teeth and I survived.
I barely survived 18 dental surgeries on a root canal by a v bad actual dentist. Yes I know it's not a valid comparison

Btw how is it illegal? Just curious, not arguing

[AKissIsNotAContract]

I'm a dentist too. Only a dentist or a hygienist/therapist acting on the instruction of a dentist can legally whiten teeth in the UK. A dental technician cannot. Then there are strict rules on the sale of the whitening gel, which have recently become stricter, even for dentists.

I whiten my teeth with a home kit, perfectly safe if done correctly. Impressions were taken by a colleague and sent to the lab for custom made trays.

If you buy a kit illegally you are taking a big risk.

[MrsMorton]

What akiss said. (I don't think I've ever agreed with another dentist as much as I agree with what akiss says on here, this is not healthy...!

A dental technician isn't allowed to take impressions of teeth either IIRC. In fact one has just been convicted of the illegal practice of dentistry.


babybarrister I would but I can't as I have a crown which is lovely and won't whiten and I don't want it replacing as it took me five years to get one I was happy with. Home whitening kits are the best IMO, the trays which are made from impressions taken by your dentist put the right amount of gel in the right place without risking chemical burns, it's predictable with good long term results and very easy to "top up" if needed. The best bit is that you're in charge so can whiten gradually until you're happy.

[AKissIsNotAContract]

Haha, so you read all the advice from dentists and decided to do the thing we don't recommend!

[ItsintheBag]

How long does teeth whitening last? if you drink lots of strong tea

Crest white strips,what a dentist view on these?I am not sure I could afford to visit my dentist.

[MrsMorton]

You can't buy crest strips legally in Europe. What that tells you about how they are regulated, who inspects them etc is fairly obvious IMO.

[ItsintheBag]

oh really? I didn't know that! I have only heard of them from when I lived in the States, and when I heard them being mentioned on here assumed.

How long does the proper teeth whitening last?

[MrsMorton]

Post at 1132.

[AKissIsNotAContract]

There is some info from the GDC here

Quite honestly, if your teeth are stained from tea then a scale and polish with a hygienist is what you need. Whitening is to alter the colour of your teeth, not to remove stains. Trying to use whitening products on stained teeth is pointless.

[MostFamousMonkey]

I had my done by my dentist. He made the moulds for my teeth, checked the fit, then I did the bleach at home following my dentist's advice to avoid sensitivity etc.
I did it every night for 7 days on lower teeth, then 7 days for upper. I do drink red wine and tea (PG Tips, it goes without saying ). The results lasted for me for about 2 years. I then went back to my dentist for more of the bleach syringes. He checked that the moulds still fitted properly and then I repeated the bleach process at home. That was 18 months ago and they are still looking good now.

[ItsintheBag]

Thanks for that most

[ItsintheBag]

Oh I have had a scale and polish already.They do not look remotely white at all but now are clean so this would be the next step for me.

[Whitershadeofpale]

Just out of interest, roughly how much would it cost to whiten your teeth at home with moulds made by a dentist?

[greenfern]

I asked my dentist last week how much for teeth whitening with the moulds and the gel he stated if i had been on their dental plan £198. If not around £350.

My niece got the crest strips, her teeth came up great she did feel her gums quite sore afterwards but nothing major.

[MrsMorton]

babybarrister, yes. Home kit that you get from your dentist, gel and trays. Not strips that you buy from t'interweb that could have anything in them...