Teeth whitening options, tips, advice

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Ive really got to get this done, since Peri (not sure if its connected) I really have got much more yellow teeth. Also I had WLS and not sure if that is connected either, Im on calcium supplements for life now but calcium levels seem ok, not sure if that is something to do with it?

In any case, they were never the whitest even when young and now Im sick of it

I am also a tea drinker, I know that is another downfall.

But, bit overwhelmed with all the options at the dentist, I know its going to cost me, what do I go for?

A couple of dentists near me do the Enlighten, this seems the most expensive, both dentists doing it for around the 600 mark

Then one of those also does something called Boutique day and night and Boutique 'black diamond'

Then another dentist near me does 'in chair whitening' for 2 hours, which is cheaper

Any views?

I’ve had enlighten. It’s fantastic. Plus you have the moulds to keep. About once a year, I buy the gel online.

What do you do, how does it work?

Interested too

Im laying in bed with my moulds in now, I use the Boutique system, £400 from my dentist. I noticed a difference after a couple of days. I only used 1 and a half tubes of the paste to get the results I was happy with .

I'm a coffee drinker and so am just doing a quick top up.

I whiten a couple of times a year following a smile makeover completed over lockdown. I use the 16% peroxide gel that only dentists are licensed to sell which go into custom moulds. It was an expensive outlay initially (mainly the cost of the custom moulds) but the gels are reasonably priced. My teeth are used to the gels now so I don’t have much sensitivity, but I did have to work up to 16% initially, so take it slowly. Everyone is different though so what works for me might not work for you..so take advice from your dentist, and steer clear of anything provided from an unlicensed source or from anyone who is not qualified as a dental practitioner - chemical burns, permanent damage to teeth and ongoing pain are possible if someone doesn’t know what they are doing.

During whitening, I avoid coffee first thing, and avoid red wine in general as your teeth can be porous. Basically, avoid anything that is likely to stain your teeth.

I do dentist led system too
As you have the moulds after the initial outlay you can then buy some bleach and do an annual refresh (I don't fo mine as often tbh). I find after 4 nights my teeth have lightened enough. Moulds etc all done via dentist.
I tend to do it after I've had a scale and polish so teeth are as clean as they can be.

It is illegal to sell the gels direct to patients in the U.K., EU etc so you are buying from criminals knowingly breaking the law. You have no guarantee what you are buying to put inside your body is genuine or safe .

Most dentists will sell top up gels at around £30 a syringe , best to ask at check up so they can make sure there are no problems and it is safe to do so.

In chair tends to look good at first but that is because the lamp dries out the tooth making it look whiter .

The best results are from trays and the systems used are very similar in results .

Lack of calcium does not affect teeth as once they are formed they are formed.

However weight loss surgery can cause reflux and vomiting and acid attacking the teeth can eat away the enamel , which is white , exposing the dentine underneath , which is yellow.

Have you had a dental check up recently?

I have check ups every 6 months and recently had the hygienist. Ive had 2 scale and polishes since the WLS, and my teeth are perfect apparently.

Has anyone tried the various whitening toothpastes available ?

Before you pay out try using the Colgate charcoal toothpaste (red box) three times a day for two weeks. Has changed everything for me

This is what we use now!

Plus I use that stuff in a silver box, cant remember the name

I've just started this for the 1st time. Tea, coffee and red wine drinker. I went through my dentist, private. £385 for moulds and 6 syringes, South east. They seem easy to use and I am taking it slowly!

Where is this, I havent seen a price like this, they're nearly all 600 quid. Is this for Enlighten?

It's Philips Zoom 10%. So how that differs,sorry not sure. I'll message you more details.

soupyspoon

ah ok that’s a pity! It was just in case you’d done similar but not tried it for long enough- I’m perimenopausal (I think!), 46, and out of nowhere the same thing happened, I drink too much tea and coke and they turned properly yellow but bang on three weeks after starting this three times a day they’re now fairly healthy looking, not white white but decent!

They do not whiten , but they remove stain. They will be either abrasive or acidic or both , so can remove enamel as well so use with caution.

You cannot, legally, buy anything over the counter which has enough active ingredient , ie carbamine or hydrogen peroxide , to whiten teeth.

Right Im back to this thread now with a query about Boutique, a dentist near here does Boutique for £299 which is 200 quid cheaper than the local Enlighten, actually thinking about it, I think the Enlighten is about 600 quid

Im wondering if that is any good?

They also do in chair whitening but its more money and Im wary of what was said in an earlier post here about the teeth drying out.

Some versions of boutique have a shade change guarantee (boutique by night) to B1 . I’ve always had good results for patients using it.

That being said some people have very resistant teeth to whitening and no matter what you use they won’t lighten. Also be aware you are not going to get Simon Cowell white with teeth whitening , it’s a much more subtle /freshening effect.

No I dont want the really white blinding, I just want normal looking teeth that I see other people with (who I know have not had whitening). My teeth have always looked darker than others but Ive really noticed it over the last couple of years. I am a terrible tea drinker though

I started the boutique whitening last Thursday and I am impressed so far. £300 and i can buy more gel if i need to

I work in this industry. Enlighten priced us out so we moved to providing Boutique - they are very similar products and in my experience have produced very similar results. Boutique is a bit more confusing with its choices - but comes down to the Black Diamond kit being more expensive - comes with 8 tubes of gel which is a lot for the average person, and a guarantee that you will get to shade B2. So if someone is very dark or has a lot of intrinsic discolouration to overcome its suitable but otherwise probably overkill.
Day kit is for people who can't sleep with their trays in at night (for example people who grind their teeth heavily will flex their trays and the gel will disperse and doesn't work well)
Night time basic kit is around 4 tubes of gel which is sufficient for most people for a course of initial whitening - and as a pp said top up tubes can be purchased individually.
They are all quite similar but I'd go to a reputable provider who can show you some photos before and after of cases that they have personally provided.