Extra dazzling
All right my fellow vain queens. Here is the second report about my teeth whitening project. Part one was here >>
My teeth are whiter. I would estimate my teeth have lost 15 to 20 years worth of yellowing, so I am back to having the teeth colour I used to have in my 20s.
I have no more problems with sensitive teeth. I rinse with flouride each morning to prevent that.
I should have enough gel for ten nights but I wasted two nights worth of gel. The first was when instructions said I should use the gel on the upper teeth first, and I mistakenly put gel in the tray which fit the lower teeth.
The second was when I put too much gel in the tray and gel spilled over onto the exposed gum. I tried to ignore the pain but it was too much and I had to take the whole thing out after half an hour. Perioxide is acid, remember. The perioxide left a white mark where the gel had burned the gum. No wonder it hurt, but the burn mark healed after a day or two.
Gel tubes
Teeth trays
The brand my dentist gave me was Opalescence, which also is for sale on Amazon.com. Different brands all contain the same active ingredient, perioxide. The strength varies. The sort they use in one-hour dentist “laser” treatments is 35%. You should not use that by yourself. For home treatment dentists give you 10% or 15%. The gel they sell at Boots in Bangkok is 8%.
How white should the teeth get? Now my teeth are slightly uneven, whiter at the tip and yellower at the base. You could argue this the natural state of teeth unless you want that all-bright Hollywood smile. (Actually many Hollywood stars have porcelain veneers on their teeth).
Dolly “Porcelain” Parton
I don’t want to look like Dolly Parton but I bought some of the 8% gel at Boots because I not fully satisfied yet. It was 495 baht. I would like to continue for a few nights more. This is partly to make up for the two nights of 15% gel I wasted, but also because there is some more yellowing to remove. Then I will be done.
Conclusion about teeth whitening:
Is it difficult? No
Is it dangerous or painful? No
Does it work? Yes
Is it worth it? Yes
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:19 am
i use the same system you have; trays custom fit to my teeth. My experience was that it took three to four days intially and yes, at first the color of my teeth were uneven but not after the first few days.
Now I treat maybe 1-2 days every other month or so.
But I don’t smoke and that makes a lot of difference.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:48 am
Yes, and while you at it, don’t drink coffee, tea, wine…oh HELL, just stop eating!
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
You’ve convinced me. I want better-looking, teeth, too!
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Peroxide is not acid. Peroxide is Peroxide.
It works by decomposing into H2O and singlet oxygen, which is the true agent behind all this.
…didn’t want to sound like a smartass, but my chemist soul hurts when you say peroxide is acid.