Advice on Teeth Whitening Discussion Thread

pollypenny

Thanks, brook2jack.

Am I right in thinking that rotary brushes are better for cleaning teeth?

I don't like this big brush head on the sonic and if it's not going make teeth whiter and less effective at keeping them clean, I'll buy another rotary.

brook2jack

Try replacing the rechargeable battery in the brush if you can get at it. Maplins are good for new batteries.
Otherwise rotary brushes would still be my favourite and research would weakly support that.

jugglebug

brook2jack wrote: »

Try replacing the rechargeable battery in the brush if you can get at it. Maplins are good for new batteries.
Otherwise rotary brushes would still be my favourite and research would weakly support that.

Ongoing discussion in the Jugglebug household.
I love my Sonicare, Mrs Jbug the hygienist prefers Oral B.
Body of evidence appears to be building for Sonicare, not to overtake the rotaries but to level the field.
The Cochrane review as I understand it was not as dismissive of sonicare as Oral B liked to make out. More a statement of the fact there was far more research available for rotary. A conversation I had at a BDA meeting with a phillips speaker suggested when the next cochrane review is done the available papers will be far more equal.

pollypenny

The body of the cleaner seems to be sealed - will get OH on it. Don't like the sonic at all.

MarsdenCuckoo

brook2jack wrote: »

It is illegal to sell whitening kits which will actually work. You run the risk of permanently damaging teeth and gums.

If you just have staining book a hygienists appointment at your dentists, it will probably cost about the same, will be effective and more importantly safe.

When I enquired at my dentist a few months ago about having my teeth whitened, I was told they were currently not recommending it. No ideas why. When I went back this week, they are offering home kits @ approx. £300

Anyone any idea why the change of heart and/or advice of which way to go? I have caps too, which need replacing so it's been suggested I have my teeth whitened first and then have my caps replaced. Good advice - yes/no?

Thanks for any/all input.

welshdent

The change in heart is probably due to clarification in the law a few weeks ago. Only a dental professional can provide it and a dentist must first examine you and treatment plan it.

brook2jack

Teeth should be whitened first ,then left to stabilise before replacing crowns,fillings which are not affected by whitening.

As Welshdent said the legal position on whitening has been a bit unclear until recently when it has been clarified that only dentists can prescribe whitening and only dentists or hygienists/dental therapists working to a dentists prescription can provide it.

Home kits give the safest ,most controllable ,most stable long term results.

mystic_bertie

i posted 4 pages back, i took the advice and went to my dentist for the teeth whitening, i was pleased when i got told it was £100 top and bottom, so i went ahead with it, i was given the polanight kit with 2 syringes, i got told to do the treatment for 2 weeks but to be honest im struggling to make the syringes last that long, im putting a tiny drop on each tooth on the shield but and im not sure if its enough as its not really making a big difference so far.

the pola night is a kit i can buy myself online so why all the fuss about going to the dentist for it??

how many syringes should i have been given i think the dentist is being tight by just giving me 2.

welshdent

The fuss is because technically speaking it is illegal for anyone other than the dentist to supply it. It was clarified by the EU a few weeks ago. I dont know how many come in that kit to be honest. We usually supply at least 3 of the ones we use but they could be smaller or larger. You really dont need a great deal of gel though as the trays should fit well enough to spread it over the tooth surface.

To give you an idea we usually charge £250 so its possible they are keeping the costs down by issuing less bleach but I simply can not say for sure. We charge £50 for more bleach but usually the 3 syringes are enough to get most teeth to a satisfactory shade.

mystic_bertie

welshdent wrote: »

The fuss is because technically speaking it is illegal for anyone other than the dentist to supply it. It was clarified by the EU a few weeks ago. I dont know how many come in that kit to be honest. We usually supply at least 3 of the ones we use but they could be smaller or larger. You really dont need a great deal of gel though as the trays should fit well enough to spread it over the tooth surface.

To give you an idea we usually charge £250 so its possible they are keeping the costs down by issuing less bleach but I simply can not say for sure. We charge £50 for more bleach but usually the 3 syringes are enough to get most teeth to a satisfactory shade.

yeah it looks like they are keeping the costs down by not issuing a lot of the gel, the polanight website says half a syringe per treatment ie 2 weeks would require 7 syringes. I phoned and told my dentist this and im getting another 2 as a good will gesture lol.

are you supposed to put the drop of gel on the front of the tooth on the trays as it does not specify and as i have been using it very sparingly im wondering if im getting enough. I have a few teeth that are whitening up all over ok but the others are still yellow at the gums.