Advice on Teeth Whitening Discussion Thread

Toothsmith

If you do it gently, only use ordinary toothpaste and don't do it too frequently, your little toy will probably be OK.

If that doesn't work well though, don't be tempted to push harder.

TEETH themselves don't stain - it's the plaque buildng up on the tooth that stains. So really good thorough brushing on a day by day basis will really keep down the stains. Concentrate your efforts on the areas that seem to stain the most.

Give them extra work each day.

lipper

Sorry if this has already been posted but this following statement comes from the GDC website, and if you follow the link you'll see the Government also say tooth whitening should not be carried out by a non-dentist.

"In the House of Commons on 25 July 2007 The Secretary of State for Health was asked who could undertake tooth whitening. She reiterated the Council’s view that only dentists should undertake tooth whitening procedures. You can see the question and answer in full here."(see below)

Link: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070725/text/70725w0033.htm#qn_309

kah17372

Just thought I would send a quick message on this forum about teeth whitening, as I've found a great product and it won't break the bank.

Its called Go Smile ... there might aleady be posts on here about it .. I've been using it for 4 weeks and you can really notice the different.

I've tried the usual toothpastes and gum shields, but couldn't really afford to have them professionally treated and then a friend recommended Go Smile.

Not sure if you can buy it in the UK - I got mine from the USA I think its one of the number 1 brands out there. Basically you are supplied with little tubes containing the treatment and you rub it on your teeth - no hassle at all and it tastes really nice. I noticed a difference after using it for 2 weeks.

I think I paid about £40 but I'm sure you could probably get a bargain if you looked on ebay or somewhere.

Hope this info helps ...

George_Bray

silvercar wrote: »

The site I found claims to be the official site and to supply dentists. If anyone has a view on it I'd be grateful.
http://www.polanight.co.uk/
Exactly the same strength I am getting from the dentist - 16% carbamide peroxide.
I'm already paying my dentist £450 for the whole treatment including the initial products and aftercare. I thought it would make sense to be able to buy more syringes myself.

As long as you're satisfied that it's the same product, rather than one being a fake, I'd go for it! If it was me, I'd be prepared to take the personal 'risk' because I view the risk as so small. I accept what Toothsmith and others are saying and know their advice is well meant but if there's a significant extra cost involved, why pay such a huge premium to the dentist?

I just looked at the GDC web site and they say:
"We are committed to protecting the public by investigating and prosecuting people who are not registered with us and who perform, or provide clinical advice about, tooth whitening."

I'd say that's 50% about safeguarding public health and 50% about protecting their members (the dentists) financial interests. When dentists charge such huge fees for tooth whitening, it's obviously a money-spinner to be protected. Jobs for the boys. Now, there may be complications for a few people and if I was such a person, I know I'd sooner be under the wing of a dentist. But if I use DIY whitening products, which I do, and anything goes wrong (tooth ache, gum damage or whatever) I can go the dentist anyhow. He's hardly going to turn me away because I've been negligent.

The GDC comment on not giving clinical advice may be the reason why my recent thread on DIY dental fillings was deleted. I don't know but am grateful for the advice from at least a couple of people before the thread was deleted - bad news.

It's like contact lens, which are nearly all one standard size these days - I bet most dentists use the same tooth whitening products for all their patients. It's not like there are many decisions to be taken. So if I use the same products as a dentist would for DIY whitening, or an optican would for contact lens (which I do) where's the risk, especially if you've started off with a professional.

Toothsmith

George_Bray wrote: »

The GDC comment on not giving clinical advice may be the reason why my recent thread on DIY dental fillings was deleted. I don't know but am grateful for the advice from at least a couple of people before the thread was deleted - bad news.

I think it more likely that is was deleted because it was completely mad George!

Have you come up with a way to make your own contact lenses yet?

How about letting UPVA glue set in a thin layer on the bottom of a little pot?

You would get a clear, soft curved thing that just looks like a contact lens. Surely worth a try?

George_Bray

Toothsmith wrote: »

I think it more likely that is was deleted because it was completely mad George! ;)Have you come up with a way to make your own contact lenses yet? How about letting UPVA glue set in a thin layer on the bottom of a little pot? You would get a clear, soft curved thing that just looks like a contact lens. Surely worth a try?

Here we go again... I've no wish to get into a slanging match with you. Others were doing fine in demonstrating possible, serious shortcomings with my DIY dental filling idea, like potential tissue damage. I was grateful to them for the warning. There's no shortage of real threats/risks/pitfalls to anyone trying their own tooth whitening, prescribing their own (leading brand) contact lens, let alone touching up a discoloured filling. I don't deny that. Why do you need to descend to the level of farce and ridicule, like suggesting I make my own contact lens out of UPVA? Have you run out of serious arguments?

Actually, my heading of "DIY dental fillings" was a bit OTT. I wasn't talking about drilling, the removal of decay or anything. I should have simply asked on this thread if anyone knows how to whiten a discoloured front filling, along with the surrounding teeth being whitened. That's all I need to do. The dentist won't replace the discoloured filling on the NHS because he says it's still structurally OK.

~daisy~_2

ive recently started a course of tooth whitening under my dentists supervision - he also supplied me with pola night - same as sliver car - and when i researched i found the same site
if i need top ups i will more than likely buy from there tbh

wackojackouk

Evening all....

Not sure if it's been mentioned on this thread or elsewhere on MSE but I noticed an advert on Facebook this evening for a company based in Hornchurch, Essex who offer laser whitening called 1o2 (using Beyond system?) - website is http://www.1o2.co.uk/

Just wondered if anyone had used them or similar and could give some feedback.

Toothsmith as our resident dental expert wonder what you're take on this is

Ta

WJUK

Toothsmith

Looks very like another beauty salon one to me.

Website has some glaring falsehoods on it.

"Some dentists are not qualified to carry out laser whitening. All our operators are qualified cosmetologists"

This is absolute rubbish.

Any qualified dentist who wants to invest in laser whitening equipment is qualified to use it. It's just not all chose to offer it.

Thereis no such recognised qualification in dentistry as 'cosmetologist' so this is completely made up to put on the certificate given to someone who does a Saturday morning course!

There is no named dentist anywhere on the website, so even if it were a dental practice, it's advertisments fall short of the regulations for advertising one.

I think this place is doing it's 'amazing offer' to get rid of it's stock before trading standards close them down!

~daisy~_2

~daisy~ wrote: »

ive recently started a course of tooth whitening under my dentists supervision - he also supplied me with pola night - same as sliver car - and when i researched i found the same site
if i need top ups i will more than likely buy from there tbh

have been for a follow up appt with my dentist today - i have lightened about 4 shades so far but still have a bit to go - i have 2 syringes of 22% left but he has now given me 10 more syringes but of 16%
im doing this very slowly just a day or 2 at a time then 2 days off to stop any sensitivity so it is taking a while but im happy with that