Saturday, June 15, 2013

How To Whiten Your Teeth At Home

*Note: This post was originally written on Feb 13, 2011 on my old blog (loveformakeup.com). I am transferring the content here. 


I have been getting many questions on YouTube regarding how I whiten my teeth. I figured since it’s such a FAQ, I will write a post about how I whiten my teeth.
Disclaimer: You should always consult your dentist before trying any new products on your teeth–especially if they are sensitive.  I am sharing my personal experience with teeth whitening solely for your reference.
Just FYI: I only whiten my upper row of teeth. I have never whitened the bottom row of teeth simply because I have a huge overbite and when I smile, very little bottom teeth can be seen. It saves me money not whitening the bottom row of teeth!
I buy my white strips on sale from drugstores like Rite Aid and CVS and they are usually around $30; however, they're sold for far cheaper on sites like Amazon.
My Teeth Whitening Personal History:
I first started whitening my teeth a little over 2 years ago using Crest White Strips.
I used the Crest Whitestrips Classic:
I was compliant in using the strips the first time around. I used the strips as directed: 2 strips a day (30 min. each strip) for 14 days.  I remember noticing a brightening/whitening of my teeth after just 5 days (just as the packaging claims). After a week my teeth where very white, but I continued with the 14 day course. I was very happy with the results and other people noticed my whiter teeth as well.
My teeth stayed white for a long time (probably about a year); but I do drink a lot of coffee and tea. So after some time I felt my teeth were less bright, so I used more strips to use.  I would consider this “touch up whitening”.
For touch-up whitening, I do not use the strips for the full course. I kind of got lazy and only used 1 or 2 strips for 3-5 days every so often (every 3-6 months). I found that this still works.
I bought the Crest 3D White Whitestrip Vivid because it was on sale. I honestly didn’t see any difference between the Vivid and the Classic kind.


These are pretty easy to apply; just follow the directions :]
Tips on applying the white strips:* Press the strips tightly to your teeth. Make sure there are no air spaces. This helps prevent the strips from slipping off prematurely.
* Do not have the strip touch your gums. I know these strips may be too big for some people’s teeth, but if you are going to have any part of the strip touching anything other than your teeth, have it touch the hard palette. I find the gums are more sensitive.
* Wipe any excess “gel” away.  When you press the strips tightly to your teeth, some of the whitening “gel” may squeeze out. This stuff makes you salivate and that will cause the strip to fall off. So just gently wipe the excess gel away with your finger.
Here is a photo of my teeth. Like I mentioned in the beginning of the post, I have only whitened my upper row of teeth and have never whitened the bottom. You can tell the bottom is not as bright.



My “natural” smile doesn’t reveal any of my bottom teeth anyway:

Happy Teeth Whitening!



4 comments:

  1. You have a nice set of teeth! I hope that more than just using a whitening strip, you’re also taking care of your teeth, like brushing and flossing regularly, as well as having regular dental check-ups. :) Also, while whitening strips are fine, it’s best to consult a dentist first, especially if one has existing dental problems like sensitive teeth or gums.

    Florence Sparks

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  2. Lots of whitening products are out in the market these days, and they’re all claiming instant or tested results. However, the needs and condition of our teeth differ from each other, and the chemicals of a product may be effective for one but not for all. It’s, indeed, important to ask for your dentist’s recommendation before trying or using any product, just to avoid greater dental problems. :)

    Dominic Woods

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  3. This is a nice proof of how these products really help whiten your teeth. Although now if you carefully look at it, the product does cost a bit too much, especially if it does not have that much lasting effect.I think you can also try to consider going on laser whitening procedures just to give you more lasting white teeth. Although this is definitely a useful home remedy.
    Julie Romanelli

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  4. Nice to read this publication on this blog. As far as I can see, this is a very basic question for everyone indeed. Its my personal opinion and I am completely agreed with the subject used hereจัดฟันแบบใส

    ReplyDelete