My teeth are stained and look horrible - help me

[Newnamenewgame123]

My teeth are stained. I didn't think it was THAT noticable but with all the zooms I've done lately I've noticed it really is. It's mostly the bits around the edges, tbh - almost dark looking stains between the gaps.

I have an ok routine, obviously brush carefully twice a day for a couple of minutes but don't floss often enough. See a dentist regularly and they are generally healthy, I've only got one filling. So it really is mainly a cosmetic issue.

I was due (overdue) to see a hygenist and then lockdown happened and now god knows when I'll be able to sort it but it's really starting to get me down. When I'm zooming - obviously loads, like everyone else at the moment - it's all I can see.

So - is there anything I can do in the meantime. Happy to throw money at it. Hit me with your best ideas!

My dentist and hygienist is still only open for emergencies.

Bleach won't work as it sounds like it's a calculus issue so you need to go and have a clean, then you can bleach. Hygienists are starting back up now so best fo call your dental practice and make an app as they will fill up very fast!

9% hydrogen peroxide mixed into mouthwash. If it hurts you used too much.

Don't use eucryl routinely. It's so abrasive you will fuck your teeth right up. Once a week or so is fine

Electric toothbrush and daily flossing made the most difference to me.

Would you consider giving up tea , coffee , red wine ?

@Mrsmorton

Yes, you’re right, I should have said, Eucryl shouldn’t be used every day, it is not good for your tooth enamel if used too often.

also interspace brushes are amazing. Not the tepe ones although I recommend using those as well, but they are long handled ones like this to use around the gumline and across small spaces. Make a huge amount of difference to teeth. Something like this:

www.dentaldirect.co.uk/dent-o-care-interspace-brush-long-head-medium.html

Use after brushing every time, to get into awkward spaces and remove plaque along gumline. Makes a huge difference and you need to go to the hygenist a lot less.

Yes to the tooth powders and after tea/coffee... red wine etc.. take some water and swill your mouth

I cant stand the thought of metal iny mouth, I wish I could use those brushes.

which brushes ernieshere? the ones I recommended (if you meant them) the interspace brushes are not metal ones - no metal in there. completely different.

Are those brushes single-use @magicmallow ?

no they last several months (to be honest a lot longer than a usual toothbrush as they are just used on gumline / around the difficult to reach bits / in between). I've had ones last months and months. I can't recommend them enough. Always, after brushing around the front back and gumline of every tooth. Makes such a difference as the toothbrush can't reach there. I no longer have any bleeding gums, ever. And every time I go to the dentist they ask if I have recently been to the hygienist (i haven't!). Saves me ££ in hygenist visits (I still go once in a while but it makes a huge difference).

I'm very anxious about my teeth so not seeing my dentist for my check up freaked me out so I bought DP and I these;
www.wowcher.co.uk/deal/shop/electricals/accessories/14670651/electric-dental-tooth-calculus-remover?st_cid=GoogleShopping&ito=GoogleProducts_RevenueMarketing_14670651&gclid=Cj0KCQjwudb3BRC9ARIsAEa-vUs6srIE1VF76pqNz6PWzzpTubq2Ngqv0bUKEgRlcE134QMLs2IfbBAaAld-EALw_wcB

I dont have any stains but I was really impressed with it! It gets all of your plague off easily and in between my teeth look alot cleaner. DP doesnt use his as often but has commented on how much cleaner his teeth feel

@magicmallow thank you for the recommendation, those brushes look really useful! Can they go between teeth like the tepe ones or mainly for around the gum? You literally go up to the gum bit and do a gentle brush?
I try and use the tepe interdental brushes (MUST get back the the habit ) but it’s really hard getting between my teeth at the very back.

Eucryl will get rid of most of it in one go

@yousetthetone - although they are good for getting into awkward spaces e.g right round the back of teeth, they don't go right through the spaces between teeth. so you should use floss and tepes as well. But they allow you to apply more pressure between teeth crevices and along the gumline than a normal toothbrush for the really clean feeling. I have no plaque or tartar since using them.

My dental care routine is very thorough because of some gum disease I used to have and dental issues (I take it very seriously now) - so I use a sonic toothbrush (Lidl version - same but much cheaper), then the interspace (I have a fixed brace at the back of my teeth and it's great for this as well as gumline). I also use Tepes, and floss, and often a cordless Waterpik irrigator as well as coconut oil pulling a couple of times a week and tongue scraping with a metal scraper. I don't use all of these every day, but I do every time I am in the shower as many as I can remember. It only takes about 5 - 10 mins and is part of my shower routine so doesn't feel like special time out of my day. I would recommend tepe, sonic brushing and interspace daily with everything else when you remember.

Sonic brushing your gums with your sonic toothbrush is also good for gum health (not too rough!) to get circulation going.

I am really fastidious but it is definitely worth it. In the shower it doesn't feel like an added chore as you are in there anyway!

I would say it does all sound overkill but your teeth will feel better and so will you - and it should cut the cost of the hygenist (I always ask the dentist if I need to see the hygenist and they always say in a few months as it looks as though I have recently been even though I haven't!).

@magicmallow that sounds like a really good routine. I had a gum infection a good ten years ago now which gave me a bit of a wake up call too and I now go to the hygienist every four months to keep on top of plaque/ tartar etc so this brush sounds like it’ll be really useful. I’ve variously been told that electric toothbrushes are/ aren’t better but I do think I’m going to get one again now.
You’re right that I just need to get a good routine in place. It sounds stupid but at night time I’m often tired and in the morning I’m swept up with 3 small children. But it’s no excuse and I’ll definitely try and get back into it.
I’ve occasionally seen adverts for a sonic plaque remover, I think it’s called Oraly or something. It claims to do what a hygienist does but I’m a bit sceptical. Hopefully your brush will do a similar job. Have looked into the waterpik in the past, do you rate it then?

@DanniArthur I'm tempted by the wowcher deal. Does it hurt, I'm worried that it will be painful like I find the hygienist is. My teeth are super sensitive.

@sevendevils

I have one and they're almost exactly what the hygienist uses BUT they're not cooled by water like at the dentist. They can get hot so use in very small bursts

Thanks @Carpathian2 I don't think I will invest, I don't think I could do it to myself!

I ordered this a few weeks ago and it's brilliant! Descaled teeth, removed plague and stains. Really easy to use.

divine-b.com

@YouSetTheTone just do the teeth routine in the shower or bath, when you would be in there anyway - then you don't have to take extra time out of your day to do it. It is tough with young kids though, totally agree!

The lidl sonic brush (£29) is as good as the oral b sonicare ones, although I do find I have to change the brush monthly - but they are much cheaper than the oral b brushes, only around £1 per head. A worthy investment (buy a few batches when they come into lidl). A worthy investment.

The waterpik - I tried the plug in one and it was a faff, so the cordless one is what I recommend (much more likely to use it). Yes I do find it works well, as part of the routine, use when in the batch / shower. I think everything helps as a whole!

I've not tried a sonic plaque remover - I think the gumline brush (interspace) is probably good enough along with the other things. I think the issue is not allowing tartar to build in the first place, so provided you get that removed first (if there's calculus) by the hygenist, my routine stops it redeveloping again.

Basically when you run your tongue over your teeth they should feel fully smooth - not slightly grainy or anything (plaque etc). Then you know they are fully clean. You can do this as you brush to try to find extra areas that need attention. They should always feel like they do when you come out of the hygenist! This is easy with the right routine.

As an ex smoker (roll ups!) I used to use Eucryl tooth powder every now and then- just a tad dipped onto a wet toothbrush and brush your teeth as normal. It worked very well on my stubborn stains.

I got some pearl drops after a recommendation on here. It really is fabulous!