I'm about to cry about my teeth

[joltser]

I'm early 20s. Bought professional whitening gel because I was seriously insecure about my yellow teeth. This hasn't seemed to work too much.

Further research and inspection and all the edges of my teeth are translucent - seeming to mean no enamel? Which would mean that whitening products won't work and the only option for a better colour on them is bonding/veneers.

I'm just devastated. I have an NHS dentist but they haven't had anyone available for a year. There's no way I can afford private.
All I want is slightly whiter teeth that aren't destined to just get worse. I'm so insecure about the yellowness of them.

Any other personal experiences? Or advice? I've never felt my confidence so low about something.

Things that naturally made my teeth whiter - cutting out tea/coffee/red wine and curries. Genetics play a big part and I’m sure with good dental hygiene your teeth are not that yellow.

However, for me I like all those things too much so ended up investing in trays from the dentist (£250) which I buy bleach for every few months. I don’t like the whiter than white look, it’s just hygienist appointments and trays to lift off a bit of staining. I can’t do it too much even if I remembered as makes my teeth sensitive.

Um. What? Everyone’s teeth are slightly translucent close up at the very edges. If you had no enamel they’d hurt like hell all the time and get cavities ridiculously easily.
Stop with the whitening strips, because you really can mess up the enamel with them. Buy a good flouride toothpaste from a proper company (like colgate or oral b or whatever. Not of this charcoal organic non flouride nonsense). Book a session with a dental hygienist and pick a new colour of lipstick that makes them look whiter.
Also quit smoking/vaping of you do that, it discolours your teeth.

I have the same as you. My enamel is wearing away. I bought the crest whitening strips and whitening toothpaste but from the US Amazon site. It has worked really well.

Not bright white but definitely much much better than they were

@Instano I have these! I invested years ago. But from my research, the gel will have no effect if you don't have enough enamel as the colour is not from staining but from the natural colour of the 'dentine' under the enamel.

I'm absolutely hoping I'm wrong and I've just read too far. I just hate my teeth right now.

The edge of your teeth are meant to be translucent. That is what enamel looks like. Can you post a picture? I bet your teeth aren't as bad as you think they are.

@SnoopyTwirl oh really? that gives me hope. Do you have the translucency on your teeth too?

I’m a bit confused - are you saying the gel isn’t working?

@Instano nope!

@JADS here is a picture - the translucency seems to be worse in real life than it looks here and is along my bottom teeth too. This is the colour after a few whitening gel sessions too!

Professional whitening with a private dentist is far cheaper than veneers.
I paid £450 for a session and it lasted for years.
It’s also safer than buying OTC whiteners.

Can you not afford just a private check-up? At least then you can be informed about what's going on with your teeth rather than guessing. But yes it's normal for your teeth to be translucent towards the edges.

I bet they’re not as bad as you think they are OP, and I bet no one notices. I don’t think I’ve ever particularly noticed someone’s teeth!

How often do you notice and think about other peoples teeth? I’m begging the answer is not much.

If there was a serious problem with enamel loss you would probably experience a lot of pain and sensitivity, and have other issues like decay.

Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips Teeth Whitening Strips Kit, 40 Strips (20 Count Pack) https://a.co/d/4xMallo

Mine are translucent too.

UK whitening strips don't work because the EU banned the ingredients that make them effective.

These are legit ones from the US and they WORK.
I would say one box got my teeth a solid 5 shades whiter and now I just do one strip a month to keep on top of them.

I got my teeth professionally whitened at a dentist 6 years ago and it didn't work as well as these

Yeah I second the professional whitening such as Zoom. Much cheaper than all the stuff you are buying over the long run and way cheaper than veneers xx

How about 'Instasmile'? I haven't used them but my friend did, and they look amazing. Think they're about £250

Cross posted with your image! Your teeth look absolutely fine OP. If you spoke to me in real life I wouldn’t notice anything wrong with them

So just to clarify, is it untrue that if your enamel is gone/you have translucency that professional whitening doesn't work?

If you didn’t have enamel you would have known about it a long time ago! You def have enamel.

The in-chair whitening at the dentist is the best not the at home stuff.

What exactly is the whitetening gel you are using?
16% carbamide peroxide night time gel is what works for me

@joltser
Yes I do

@cosmicfig haha this is definitely reassuring. So the translucency isn't something to worry about too much? Or is it the start of something to worry about? I don't understand it all.

I do get some sensitivity now and again but nothing that I'd consider unbearable.

@treespouse yes, the exact same

@joltser your teeth are not too bad at all. They can definitely be whitened but they're really not as bad as you think they are

Where did you buy your professional whitening gel?

I use a little syringe filled with gel I bought from my dentist that is fab. It’s called Whitewash & it’s proper medical grade stuff. I pop it in my aligners before I go to bed and wake up with pearly whites.

@SnoopyTwirl DP keeps saying this. I'm not sure if I'm working myself up. Just from what I see, they're so dark yellow, I can't imagine anyone seeing anything else when they talk to me!!