£75 reduction in the cost of Britesmile Whitening

[Oracare_Dental]

Insert By Martin: !The poster quite rightly asked my permission and put this post on the referrers board. !I've moved it to the health board, as having read the discussion - i thought it had progressed beyond the original plug and into a good health/money discussion on teeth whitening. !Of course doing this is not a 'recommendation' for the service, just a 'recommendation' for the quality of the discussion. !(and ps. this does not set a precedent apart from the one that says only i can break the rules !;) )


Oracare Dental (www.oracaredental.co.uk) is a new three surgery dental practice in Kensington High Street.

Oracare offer the market leading tooth whitening system (Britesmile) at the practice for £495. !
We are pleased to offer a further reduction of £75 for users of this site i.e. £420.

All patients who are interested in having this treatment will need to attend the practice for an initial free whitening consultation to determine their suitability and to take a medical history etc.

If you require further information please register online and one of our administration staff will get back to you. !Alternatively you may call the practice on 020 7603 7222 qouting reference mse75. !The practice will be open to take bookings from 19th July 2004.

This promotion has been approved for inclusion in the referrers board by Martin Lewis

[Angela]

Would I need to register with you as a patient for you to provide this treatment.

[Oracare_Dental]

Hi Angela

No if you only wanted to have Britesmile that is fine.

[johnllew]

Does not £495 - £75 = £420 rather than £425?

[Oracare_Dental]

Thanks for the correction

[Angela]

SUMMARY
A review of the legislation currently in force confirms that the supply of tooth whitening products containing more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide present or released is an illegal act rendering the supplier vulnerable to prosecution. Practitioners considering the supply and use of such materials thus need to be acutely aware of this issue.

It is understood that the medical defence organisations, and the British Dental Association, are in ongoing discussions with the Departments of Trade and Industry and Health who are, in turn, liaising with their European counterparts with a view to bringing about legislative change. It is to be hoped that such change is imminent, given the very unsatisfactory current legal position facing a practitioner who is seeking only to act in the best interests of his patients.


Does britesmile confirm to the above taken from the BDA website?

[Oracare_Dental]

Tooth Whitening - UK

There is currently continued confusion relating to the legal position of dentists using tooth whitening techniques which involve the use of bleach.

The legal situation arises as a result of action taken against the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health by a manufacturer and distributor of a bleaching product which contained Carbamide Peroxide. Whilst successful in their initial case against the Government Departments, the Judgement was subsequently overturned on Appeal and the Appeal Court decision, in turn, upheld by the House of Lords in 2001. Whether a product falls within the terms of the European Council Directive on Cosmetic Products 76/768/EEC is determined by its use. The decision in the House of Lords was taken notwithstanding that the product in question carried with it a CE Mark in Europe which would normally allow such products to be marketed as medical devices. The House of Lords held that the Government had the right to consider bleaching products as falling under the EU Cosmetic Directive and therefore within the terms of the UK Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996.


This produces a particular dilemma for practitioners who may be concerned that patients are being denied a treatment that is both safe and effective. !There appears to be considerable scientific backing for the use of these techniques particularly when compared with the destruction of healthy tooth structure which is necessary with alternative techniques.

Dental Protection advises that notwithstanding the current legal situation which suggests that the supply of these products is illegal, dentists should take into account what is in the best interests of their patients. When a decision is made to use any bleaching technique, it should be fully discussed with the patient. The patient should be aware of the risks and benefits, balancing the question mark over the legality of supply of these products with the risks to the patient of the removal of healthy tooth structure if alternative treatments are used. Comprehensive clinical records should be taken of the consent process.

Dental Protection is continuing to lobby the Department of Health and others to ensure that dentists are not challenged in relation to the use of techniques that would appear to have a sound, scientific basis and where the decisions to employ those techniques are taken in the interests of their patients.

Britesmile does indeed include Hydrogen Peroxide but it's use by practitioners is classed as a medical procedure since the alternative if a patient is concerned about the colour of their teeth would involve removal of sound tooth tissue.

[Oracare_Dental]

Oracare Dental (www.oracaredental.co.uk) is a new three surgery dental practice in Kensington High Street.

Oracare offer the market leading tooth whitening system (Britesmile) at the practice for £495. !
We are pleased to offer a further reduction of £75 for users of this site i.e. £420.

All patients who are interested in having this treatment will need to attend the practice for an initial free whitening consultation to determine their suitability and to take a medical history etc.

If you require further information please register online and one of our administration staff will get back to you. !Alternatively you may call the practice on 020 7603 7222 qouting reference mse75. !The practice will be open to take bookings from 19th July 2004.

This promotion has been approved for inclusion in the referrers board by Martin Lewis

[johnllew]

The patient should be aware of the risks
What are the risks?

[Oracare_Dental]

Approximately 10% of patients will experience discomfort of some type, including mild sudden sharp pains or a dull to moderate ache. This is self limiting and lasts less than 24hrs. The sensitivity arises if the whitening gel comes into contact with exposed dentine.
To reduce this sensitivity it is important to ensure that any areas of exposed dentine are covered during the procedure.

It is also possible during the procedure that if the soft tissues (gums) are not protected you can get mild irritation. Again this is self limiting and should not occur if the correct procedure of protecting the soft tissues has been followed.

It is important to ensure that the patient is suitable for whitening and does not have any of the following before whitening is carried out to limit any sensitivity

1. Carious lesions
2. Broken or lost restorations
3 Periodontal disease
4. Extensive calculus

Heya folks,

Was quite surprised to see Oracare canvassing for business here! I am a dentist, and just thought I would add my 2 cents..

If I were to bleach my teeth, I would not go for one of the 'in-surgery' systems such as Britesmile. Why? Because...

1) Post-op sensitivity is far higher than 10%, although it does subside over the subsequent weeks.

2) In-surgery systems often have dramatic effects for many people (not every one is suitable for bleaching - eg. those with a greyish natural hue will often respond less), but as with all bleaching, the colour does relapse back over the following months. This relapse occurs far more quickly with power bleaching.

3) Many practices using power bleaching such as britesmile often give a 'home bleaching' system to use afterwards, which can help to stabilise the colour for longer. If you are going to do this anyway, then why not JUST use a home system. You will get a similar colour although it takes longer to achieve (2-4weeks), but you are in better control of the degree of bleaching done. It is cheaper. It provokes less symptoms, and the colour stability is better. Best of all, when you feel the colour has dropped back, or are going to that special event (wedding etc) you can top it up for a few days to brighten your smile again. The extra materials are easy to buy from many dental practices.... Try getting your dentist to do a free britesmile to top up your smile for free!!

Hope this helps..

Vik

[Oracare_Dental]

Referring to the comments made by Vik:

Having performed many successful Britesmile procedures I strongly disagree that post-op sensitivity is far higher than the 10% qouted and I personnally have not had any patients whose sensitivity has persisted for more than 24hrs.

At our practice we do offer both whitening systems. !The home whitening is carried out using carbamide peroxide. !Although the results are similar it has been my experience that home whitening produces more sensitivity than in surgery whitening , again this is self limiting.

As with all whitening systems the results are not permanent and relapse of colour does occur. !With Britesmile you will get on average one shade relapse approximately every six months. !The procedure itself will produce on average 6 shades improvement and so the results can be expected to last approximately two years.

Home whitening is indeed cheaper (£300) as opposed to Britesmile (£495), and I would recommend both systems as a safe and effective way to lighten teeth back to their natural whiteness.

Regarding the final comment Vik made as to the supply of whitening gel. If patients require additional gel they would need to see the dentist to ensure that their whitening trays which they wear at night fit well to prevent the gel leaching out. This would involve a consultation, i.e. these gels cannot simply be purchased over the counter. Furthermore the cost of the gel is approximately £100.

Hayder

Thanks for your reply above! It is good to have a discourse on this subject.

I agree that home bleaching also causes sensitivity, and that this will be longer lasting by virtue of the longer length of treatment. However my own experience, and that of several colleagues is that the intensity of the sensitivity if far greater with power bleaching. It seems odd to suggest that the far stronger hydrogen peroxide used in Britesmile should produce such a minor degree of sensitivity, comparative to the weaker carbamide peroxide (which dissociates to hydrogen peroxide but at much lower levels) in the home bleaching systems.

What is in question here is 'what is best for the patient'. I am sure that the occasional case does relapse at the remarkabley low rate of one shade per 6 month. This is not the norm, but I would obviously have to defer to your experience. I myself stopped using a very similar system (luminarc) because stability was a problem, and the results unreliable unless backed up by home bleaching.

It is a valid point that I don't provide free gel to patients. However, most kits come with an excess, which can be used within a reasonable time. Further gel is normally inexpensive (roughly £45 for 6 syringes - enough to last quite a while).

The jury is still out as to whether the lights used in these power bleaching systems do anything at all beyond provide a little heat, and mystique to the process (laser bleaching - hah!) Independant studies are often at odds with those sponsored by the companies that produce the power bleaching lights and systems. This does not mean that Britesmile does not work - just that I would personally not invest in it, nor spend the addtional cash having it done!

Hope the new practice goes well.

Vik.

Hayder,

Just noted you edit. Good point about the tray fitting. What we normally do is ask patients to bring the trays in with them if they wish additonal material to one of the standard exams. Thus there is no additonal charge for this aspect!

Each dentist works in an individual way though, and some may prefer to have a specific chargeable appointment for this sort of thing.

Regards

Vik

What about toothpastes that whiten your teeth?

Do they work?

I'm having my teeth whitened at the moment :-) using opalsmile whitening. Everybody has noticed it is costing £200 (via dentist) getting married in two weeks so its a treat. However boots do a good whitening kit for £23 pounds (i'm in wigan) plus if you but at the moment you get extra points.

One word of warning those withn sensitive teeth beware, it can be a little painful......:-( no pain no gain....:-)

Hi there,


On the topic of Tooth whitening, last year in the states i discovered a range of products that whitened my teeth!

None of which are available here, at first I was worried I had damaged my teeth, but after visiting my dentist and showing him what I had used he said it was perfectly safe........ok getting to the point now......

I use Crest White Strips and Colgate whitening Gel, both american, and you cannot buy them in the UK.....HOWEVER if you have a friend in the USA get them to send you it, OR you can buy them on E-bay if you do a worldwide search for the above, I recently recieved my new batch of White Strips and it cost me in total £20, for something that really does work (that was including the US postage!)

I've tried stuff from the UK however it never seems to make much difference!
Tooth Whitening is such a huge market in America that home kits are cheap as chips! My dentist said I got the same results from the White strips and Gel as i would from using a professional dentist and it was a fraction of the price! (he also asked where i got them from!!)

A more affordable way for anyone who cant afford a spare £500 - with the same results!

[1972pixie]

VK2003 , I have seen when browsing eBay self whitening kits for aroung the £20 mark, I assume that these products are as ineffective as "whitening Tootepaste" or am I incorrect ? ???

;D
Hi there,

After spending 3 months in Ft Lauderdale last year, living with yanks i discovered the art of home whitening kits! I'd tried stufff from Boots before and it never made a difference...HOWEVER since the Tooth Whitening market in USA is huge, its much cheaper than over here!

I paid $15 for "Crest White Strips" and $9 for Colgate Whitening Gel, and believe me my teeh were white!

That was a year ago, and i smoke and drink red wine so they are not quite so white, so what did i do......bought the above things off the e-bay usa site, i paid £20 including postage for both of thesee items, and not only have I already noticed the diffrence but so had my workmates!! and the 28day course isnt finished!

(yes i checked with my dentist when i came back that i had done no harm, and she gave me the thumbs up)

she also said i had gotten the same results as if i had it done professional, but it cost a fraction of the price!!

So if you want really white teeth without forkin out £400 i suggest you try it! ;D

[dianeb]

Hi
Can definately agree with previous reply - tried Crest Whitening Strips whilst visiting my daughter in the States a couple of months ago. She had used them previously and the difference was really noticable. They worked with myself, not quite as well but still with a obvious effect (probably something to do with age as the information says that they improve whiteness by 14 years). They cost $24 and are used twice a day for half an hour over a one week period. Neither of us experienced any discomfort apart from that of having to keep quiet for an hour a day!

;D

I would be interested in the general consensus of opinion on home whitening gels and strips. I have thought the possibility of over use of the products and possible adverse side effects is far greater when used outside controlled enviroments i.e. surgeries. I am not coming out on the side of Oracare..... who is getting some good mileage out of this! I ask merely as a ex dental nurse whose son has recently bought a product called White Again Teeth Whitening Gel.....

All teeth whitening products cause an avalanche of free radical activity in your mouth hydrogen peroxide,and the other unsavory chemicals are dangerous to skin cells.These products have not been around long enough to tell what the future damage could be.
In the same vein people are brushing their teeth with lethal chemical cocktails of sodium lauryl sulphate,sodium benzoate,Triclosan which is carcniogenic and is not boidegradable therefore harfull to you and the envoiroment.
Type "cometics unmasked" into your search bar and look at the gina-antczk website you will be amazed at the damage we are causing ourselves.
WELEDA are the only Uk company I have found that make chemical free toothpaste,mouthwash. www.weleda.co.uk

sorry here is the link I think? www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk

I got mine done through White Cross they quoted me £300ish but knocked it down £100 after I spluttered a bit about it being rather a lot of money to bite on a bit of putty.

All the dentist did was take a mould from my teeth send if off to a lab. A bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide doesn't cost much, so theres a nice profit it.

Once you have the mould done, you just have to buy the bottle of bleach. I noticed a couple dental labs have their own websites and will make you a mold and sell yo ua bottle of bleach, but I didn't feel brave enough to try thsi option.

[Vanessa]

What about those of us unlucky enough to have yellow teeth to begin with? I was given some kind of an antibiotic as a child, which had an unfortunate side effect of turning my teeth yellow and my dentine soft! Is there any point in attempting to bleach in this case? Also, are there any natural whiteners that work?

Vanessa, Tetracyciline staining, which i presume is what you're referring to can respond well to tooth bleaching and i would certainly recommend it before trying more "intensive" proceedures such as veneers and crowns.

Sensitivity can be an issue (mine were!), but it is only passing and you might find filling up the bleaching trays with a toothpaste like sensodyne will help. One point: make sure the colour is stable before having fillings or crowns replaced to match as the colour can lapse back (a little) a few weeks after its done.

A word on profit margins - i charge £120 for home bleaching. This includes a consultation, the upper and lower trays and 10 tubes of bleach. The trays cost me 11 each to be made and we buy in the bleach at roughly £3 per tube, so i have and outlay of around £50 and make £70 profit, but hey, i'm NHS, so i have to make the money somewhere.........

[dr_teeth]

Vanessa
something else to consider is that
1) there are 2 different types of Tetracycline staining which react differently to whitening (one better than the other)
2) You may need to whiten for anywhere up to 6 months

however, it may well be worth it

[Vanessa]

Tetracycline it was! Caffeine addiction does not help either! Half a lifetime of tight-lipped smiling has left me practically wrinkle-free, but has done little for my popularity at work and play! I may just try the bleaching, before I have the whole lot veneered!

I am a dental nurse and i had my teeth bleeched about four years ago as one of the first trials. I had the trays to use at home and i found the results where ok and lasted around 2 years. I am not sure weather i would pay for to have them done again though. I would be tempted to have the in surgery with light treatment done. I like the idea of instant results rather than using the tray for your mouth daily and the awful taste that came with it. They dont always say this but avoid whitening if you have white fillings in the front teeth as the bleach whitens teeth but not fillings you could end up paying a fortune to have them all replaced. And as for whitening toothpastes. They are very abrasive. If you damage the enamel on teeth it just makes stains easyer to come back and harder to remove again. I would avoid them.

Hi

I think having white teeth is overrated frankly you should be pleased you have got any at all1

S McGowan

Thanks for all the help, I had just asked my dentist how much to have my teeth whitened and I was told £500 and you are there less than an hour!! As I am going to Florida next week I was going to find a dentist to see if it was cheaper there!! Now of course I can buy the crest white strips and Colgate gel, so thank you very very muchly ;D

[amacken]

Hi there,


On the topic of Tooth whitening, last year in the states i discovered a range of products that whitened my teeth!

None of which are available here......

Is this the same sort of stuff advertised on the UK Ebay ? If so I might consider ordering one for a tryout

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1277&item=55100281 66&rd=1

[Vanessa]

After a couple of hours looking at internet photos of tetracyline teeth, decided mine aren't that bad! And yes they are all mine!

Can you use whitening gels etc. if you've had fixed braces glued to your teeth? I had train tracks for 2 years when I was younger (no they're still not straight!) and don't know if the glue used would affect whitening. They were removed about 8 years ago and I think all the glue taken off. Can I still have dazzling white crooked teeth? Thanks.

Kirsty ???

[JasJasJas]

What about final results after fading back? I have heard a lot about the final colour being significantly darker than you started with.....

Jasjasjas, teeth would darken slightly over time after whitening but probably no more than they would if they had never been treated. They certainly would never be darker than they started out.

[Vanessa]

RT, I don't think you can have both probably and certainly in your reply! Which one is it?

Also, if the treatment damages your enamel, more of your dentine, which is the stuff underneath and is a darker colour, will show through!

Vanessa, sorry I don't think I made my reply very clear. The 'probably' and 'certainly' refer to different events. Teeth normally darken with time, regardless of whether they have been whitened. Whitening treatments will reverse this process but will not prevent the teeth darkening in the future. It is extremely unlikely that teeth that have been whitened will end up darker than they would have been had they not been treated. The damage to the enamel that you referred to is very minimal (4 weeks of nightguard whitening is thought to be equivalent to drinking one can of coke.) Abrasive cleaning techniques (such as smokers toothpastes and some 'whitening' toothpastes), which polish the surface of the teeth to remove surface stains do cause enamel loss and in extreme cases this could result in darkening of the teeth because, as you say, the underlying dentine is darker and could show through the thinned enamel. This is not the same as the whitening procedures discussed above which whiten the enamel AND the dentine without removing tooth structure. Hope this clears up the confusion.

[F1F1]

After spending 3 months in Ft Lauderdale last year, living with yanks i discovered the art of home whitening kits! I'd tried stufff from Boots before and it never made a difference...HOWEVER since the Tooth Whitening market in USA is huge, its much cheaper than over here!

I paid $15 for "Crest White Strips" and $9 for Colgate Whitening Gel, and believe me my teeh were white!

Hi Jayne,

Been to Ft Lauderdale on holiday <the rest part after Orlando!>, very nice. Re the whitestrips and the gel, do you use both together or would the whitestrips be enough?

[Chigley]

The damage to the enamel that you referred to is very minimal (4 weeks of nightguard whitening is thought to be equivalent to drinking one can of coke.)

Sorry to be mistrustful - but is that comparison evidence-based? I'm not a dentist but surely there must be some long term weakening/damage of your teeth from having prolonged (overnight) contact with hydrogen peroxide?!?

I only have anecdotal evidence from a friend of mine who - is not a dentist but - sells teeth whitening products at exhibitions etc and he said that professional dental opinion was divided on the long term implications. As a cynic you could argue any product/activity that has potential long term negative implications for dental health has potential long term positive implications for dentists' revenue.

[Vanessa]

Abrasive cleaning techniques (such as smokers toothpastes and some 'whitening' toothpastes), which polish the surface of the teeth to remove surface stains do cause enamel loss and in extreme cases this could result in darkening of the teeth because, as you say, the underlying dentine is darker and could show through the thinned enamel. !This is not the same as the whitening procedures discussed above which whiten the enamel AND the dentine without removing tooth structure.

RT, apologies and thanks for the explanation. On second reading, yes, I can see you can have both probably and certainly. But now you have both certainly and extremely unlikely? :)

How exactly do the whitening procedures whiten enamel AND the dentine without removing tooth structure? Are you saying that these whitening procedures don't remove surface stains, but change the colour of enamel and dentine, or both? Surely, the bleaching must be doing something to the structure of your teeth, if it is to have an effect?

Also if all of your enamel is in place, how does the bleaching solution reach your dentine? If it soaks through, it must do some damage, even if very limited.

I'm afraid I'm not convinced. Perhaps I should start drinking my cappuccinos with a straw!

[Angela]

The bleaching gel oxidises the staining and draws out the stain,it doesnt damage the enamel.

[F1F1]

RT, apologies and thanks for the explanation. On second reading, yes, I can see you can have both probably and certainly. But now you have both certainly and extremely unlikely? ! :)
??? I thought both RT's explanations were perfectly clear and nothing wrong with the language used!

Hiya,

This isn't a plug but I work for an online cosmetic treatment information website called the Consulting Room. I won't put the website address in in case Martin thinks I'm advertising but you can find it on Google if you want to. Anyway, we cover info on tooth whitening as well as loads of cosmetic surgery and beauty treatments, and I also do research for newsletters that we send out to the public and to clinics. Anyway, this month some nice clinical info on the Colgate whitening gel from the US that has been discussed on here has come up that I thought might be valuable to you all. I too am researching the subject to get it done on my partner as a treat before our wedding next year so am finding this thread informative, thanks.

Anyway, here's the clinical info. ;D

Comparative tooth whitening efficacy of 18% carbamide peroxide liquid whitening gel using three different regimens.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, a novel paint-on liquid whitening gel--Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel--which contains 18% carbamide peroxide, has been developed as a self-administered tooth bleaching system. The purpose of the present study was to determine the efficacy and safety of this product using alternate exaggerated or simplified treatment regimens.

METHODOLOGY: This was a three-week clinical trial using a parallel, double-blind, stratified protocol with three different instructions for application: 1) twice-daily, no air-drying, and 15 minutes without eating/drinking; 2) three times daily, 30-second air-drying and 30 minutes without eating/drinking; or 3) four times daily, 30-second air-drying and 30 minutes without eating/drinking. One-hundred and twenty (120) healthy volunteers were balanced into three equal groups based on shade scores (A3 or darker). Clinical evaluations (shade guide, oral tissue health, gingival index and visual analog sensitivity score) were performed on each group at baseline and weekly for the next 21 days. At the conclusion of the study, a survey of the subjects' opinions on their assigned product regimen was also conducted.

RESULTS: Subjects who used Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel three and four times daily achieved the greatest shade improvement (5.88 +/- 1.53 shades, and 5.57 +/- 1.54, respectively). However, these values were only about one shade better than the value observed for the more convenient, twice-daily, "no-dry" regimen (4.51 +/- 1.77 shades), though they were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The result for the four-times daily protocol was not statistically different from the three-times group. Also, no differences were observed between the groups concerning oral tissue health, gingival index or tooth sensitivity, and no adverse effects were observed or reported regardless of the regimen used. Surveys completed by the subjects showed that those who used the twice-daily, "no-dry" regimen found the product to be the easiest to use, the most comfortable and the most pleasant tasting.

CONCLUSION: It can be concluded from the clinical data that three or four applications of Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel per day provided better efficacy. In addition, the use of the whitening gel twice daily, even without "dry time" and only 15 minutes without eating/drinking, yielded results that were comparable to previously reported results using the original on-label directions. The potential additional benefit to the "simplified regimen" is that it was perceived to be the most convenient and comfortable. The use of Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel up to four times daily for up to three weeks is also safe, and the tendency of abusing the product with more frequent daily use may be deterred by the inconvenience reported by the study subjects.

Source : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&li st_uids=15218710

Here's some more...

Efficacy and safety assessment of a new liquid tooth whitening gel containing 5.9% hydrogen peroxide.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new 5.9% hydrogen peroxide liquid, invisible gel, (Colgate Simply-White Whitening Gel).

METHODS: A total of 30 subjects were enrolled into the study and divided into two treatment groups (Colgate vs. placebo gel). Efficacy was assessed using VITA shade scores and safety evaluations were performed including the examination of plaque index (PI), bleeding index (BOP), gingival recession and dentin hypersensitivity. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the mean change from baseline.

RESULTS: The new whitening gel containing 5.9% hydrogen peroxide was significantly effective in lightening tooth shade. After only 2 weeks, patients enrolled in the study exhibited an overall mean 4.48-shade improvement from baseline, which was significantly greater than placebo group and far exceeded the ADA minimum requirements to claim "clinical efficacy". In the new Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel group, periodontal health (PI and BOP) improved with time overall. Moreover, dentin hypersensitivity did not significantly increase, and all treatments were generally well tolerated.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The new Colgate Simply White whitening gel containing 5.9% hydrogen peroxide allowed consistent bleaching using minimal contact time, without adversely impacting overall tolerability.

Source : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&li st_uids=15151330

and another...

Randomized clinical trial comparing overnight use of two self-directed peroxide tooth whiteners.

PURPOSE: To directly compare tooth color change and spatial uniformity of two brush-applied, peroxide-based overnight tooth whiteners in a 2-week randomized clinical trial.

METHODS: 57 adult volunteers were randomly assigned to Crest Night Effects, a 19% sodium percarbonate system packaged in unit dose sachets that when applied, dries to form an adherent film, or Colgate Simply White Night, a paint-on liquid in an applicator bottle at a concentration of 8.7% hydrogen peroxide. Both groups applied their assigned gel on the facial surfaces of the six maxillary anterior teeth for 14 nights. Efficacy was measured objectively as change in L*a*b* tooth color from standard digital images of maxillary teeth, while safety was evaluated by clinical examination and interview.

RESULTS: After 14 nights treatment, adjusted mean (SE) change in yellowness (delta b*) was -0.95 (0.092) for the 19% sodium percarbonate film and -0.17 (0.096) for the 8.7% hydrogen peroxide gel, with these groups differing statistically (P < 0.0001). Other individual and composite color parameters also demonstrated significantly greater whitening for the 19% sodium percarbonate film compared to the 8.7% hydrogen peroxide gel after 14 nights use. Only the 19% sodium percarbonate film exhibited significant (P< 0.0001) proximal color improvement (delta b*) after 2 weeks, approximately 98% of that seen on the body of the tooth, providing evidence of proximal bleaching and uniform spatial whitening following use of this barrier-free system. Both products were well-tolerated, with no subjects discontinuing treatment early due to a causal adverse event.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&li st_uids=15055983

hope I'm not boring you now... :-/

Safety evaluation of a novel whitening gel, containing 6% hydrogen peroxide and a commercially available whitening gel containing 18% carbamide peroxide in an exaggerated use clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the effect on oral soft tissue of a self-applied tooth whitening gel containing 6% hydrogen peroxide (Xtra White) with a marketed paint-on whitening gel containing 18% carbamide peroxide (Colgate Simply White) after 2-weeks of using products four times daily.

METHODS: A 2-week, examiner-blind, stratified, parallel design clinical trial was conducted. Twenty subjects were divided into two groups, balanced according to age and gender. Subjects followed a 2-week, twice-daily regimen of brushing with standard fluoride toothpaste and applied gel product to facial aspects of six upper and six lower incisors/canines, twice in succession with 30 min between applications. Soft tissue examinations were performed on Day 1, before the first application of the test products, and on Day 2, 5, 8 and 15.

RESULTS: During the 2-week treatment period, twelve adverse reactions were recorded as potentially attributable to the study products, evenly split between the two test groups. All reports were mild in symptoms and resolved without the need of medical intervention. None of the subjects experiencing an adverse event requested to be withdrawn from the study.

CONCLUSIONS: Under the exaggerated use conditions of this test, there was no evidence to suggest that either of the whitening gels produced irritation that was building or developing during the course of the study. It is concluded that both products are safe for their intended use.

Source:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&li st_uids=14738835

There is plenty more on that website http://www.pubmed.com if you search for words like Colgate Simply or Tooth Whitening etc.

Hope that helps ! ;D ;D

Another quick question that perhaps some of the dentists on this thread may be able to help with.

What effects good or bad do at-home or in-surgery whitening procedures have on crowns?

Is one method or type of "bleaching" agent better than another for crowns?

Do they not whiten them at all, or make then go a different or funny colour or whiten them happily just like natural teeth?

I would appreciate some info and advice on this before shelling out hard earned cash on either.

Thanks ;D ;D

[Chriswil]

I too am interested in the effect on crowns. Are the dentists on this forum able to shed any light on this?

Thanks,

Chris

[Claudie]

A big thanks for the tip on Crest whitening strips. I bought the Crest Premium strips from US EBay and I am so impressed I just bought more for the family. The exchange rate is quite good at the moment - I paid £12 including delivery and must say they worked a treat. I am not Ross Geller by any means but there has been a noticeable difference.

Thx again!

[PBLB03]

Teeth Whitening... On the subject of teeth whitening I have just used a product that my local sun tanning shop sells.. It's cheap it works.. all I had to do is apply it to my teeth and relax under the sun bed and I noticed a difference the first time I used it.. After reading all the other stories of complying to the Cosmetic Regulations I called the salon and they said that it does comply to the regulations.. So if anyone wants to know about it let me know.. ;D

[PBLB03]

Great Tetracycline it was! Caffeine addiction does not help either! Half a lifetime of tight-lipped smiling has left me practically wrinkle-free, but has done little for my popularity at work and play! I may just try the bleaching, before I have the whole lot veneered!