Teeth whitening - share your experience

Mrs_Z

Just wondered if any forum members have had their teeth whitened - what methods did you use and were you happy with the results?  Any advice? Do's or don'ts?
I've just started doing mine with a home kit from my dentist - consisting of tailor made trays and gel to wear over night.  The initial dose was enough for 2 weeks, after a week I started to see some difference, after 2 weeks (now) I can see what I'd call a minor difference.  OH says my teeth are definitely whiter and now have a nice natural, clean colour of a 20yr old. I don't want the end result to be unnaturally white or too obvious - ie. glow in the dark. 
At the dentist's check up he's given me another 2 weeks worth of gel to keep going but I have doubts - ie. the end results being too white and also in total 4 weeks seems quite a long time to be wearing the gel overnight.  In the whitening gel product description it said most patients achieve their optimal results in 1-2 weeks.  I'm somewhat uncertain what to do...to stop or keep going? I will probably finish the current gel and then take a break but I would be interested in hearing other people's experiences. 

goldfinches

I only have onlooker experience so may not be helpful.

That said I would be very wary of going too far and ending up with a result that's wildly out of sync with the rest of your face.
I would also be very careful about the future, specifically I think your teeth have to age gracefully with the rest of your face and not become ever more incongruously youthful as the face framing them ages.

From personal experience and observation of others your face can be dramatically improved in appearance by getting sufficient sleep every night or almost every night, taking regular outdoor exercise, eating a healthy balanced diet, being a healthy weight and habitually smiling.
In my experience as you age fewer and fewer people in your age group do these things so the net result is that you appear better and better looking compared to others.
Go for a walk and really look at everyone else you see and think about it, I'm sure you'll find yourself agreeing with me.

So I think my conclusions are that if I were you I would stop now and I would consider the totality of my appearance and possibly decide that I would make some changes to my behaviour. I definitely wouldn't go further with changing your teeth as "natural for a 20 year old" strikes me as the outer limit of what might be your natural colour.

Emmia

If you're happy with the current "white-ness" then stop, but have the extra liquid so you can top up the "whiteness".

Toothsmith

It would be better putting these questions to your dentist - but I understand, sometimes you get in the chair and everything goes out of your head and you're struck dumb! This is why writing questions down before you get there isn't ever a bad idea.

You're having your whitening done properly though (By a registered dentist - not illegally by a hairdresser or a beautician) and it sounds like it's being done in pretty much the same way I do it.

It is very hard to go 'too far' with proper tooth whitening with proper materials. The 'Essex' smiles are either done with very dubious techniques, or the Rylan CLark-Neal sort of smile is only achievable by whacking off your own enamel, and getting Armatige-Shanks porcelain to replace it

Some of the 'whiteness' you get can be down to a bit of dehydration of the enamel, and that bit fades after a few days - so sometimes your dentist may recommend taking it a tiny bit whiter than you might be comfortable with, to allow for the bit of fade that might take place. That's why I'd go on what your dentist recommends rather than anecdotes on an internet forum.

If you do stop, and the fading makes them not quite as you'd like, you could always start again for a few more nights and you won't have lost anything. But your dentist's guidance is what you should follow.

calleyw

Toothsmith, thanks for saying that.  So many people buy strips or kits off the internet and I shudder to think how much damage they are doing to their teeth.

Yours

Calley x

kayeb

Interesting discussion.  Tooth smith, is it likely that having the Rylan method will shorten the lifespan of the teeth please?  I ask as there’s not much point in having drastic action if one is toothless in middle age! 

brook2jack2

Rylans teeth are not whitened, you cannot get that colour with tooth whitening. He has had all his teeth shaved down to pegs and crowns/veneers placed. 25% of those teeth will die off and need root treatment. All crowns/veneers need replacing and each time they are replaced more tooth is removed so eventually he will lose many teeth as they become irreparable.

kayeb

brook2jack2 said:

Rylans teeth are not whitened, you cannot get that colour with tooth whitening. He has had all his teeth shaved down to pegs and crowns/veneers placed. 25% of those teeth will die off and need root treatment. All crowns/veneers need replacing and each time they are replaced more tooth is removed so eventually he will lose many teeth as they become irreparable.

I don’t wish Rylan any ill, but that makes me feel better.  I’ve been hung up about my teeth not looking as good as they did in my 20s.  But lurking in this forum has helped me come to terms with how they look & to concentrate on the health of the teeth rather than carry out invasive cosmetic treatment that can shorten their life.  Thanks for all your advice & input Brook & Toothsmith.  Happy Christmas to you both xx

calleyw

brook2jack2 said:

Rylans teeth are not whitened, you cannot get that colour with tooth whitening. He has had all his teeth shaved down to pegs and crowns/veneers placed. 25% of those teeth will die off and need root treatment. All crowns/veneers need replacing and each time they are replaced more tooth is removed so eventually he will lose many teeth as they become irreparable.

The whole idea of letting someone do that to me makes me shudder.  Its getting silly now this striving for perfection. I have no issue with a nip and tuck, adult braces, tooth whitening.  Why does everyone want to look like a doll now a days.  I find that all a bit freaky.

Yours

Calley x

Morrigan_2020

brook2jack2 said:

Rylans teeth are not whitened, you cannot get that colour with tooth whitening. He has had all his teeth shaved down to pegs and crowns/veneers placed. 25% of those teeth will die off and need root treatment. All crowns/veneers need replacing and each time they are replaced more tooth is removed so eventually he will lose many teeth as they become irreparable.

How can that be allowed under the ethical rules for dentists?  That’s shocking I had no idea! 

Toothsmith

Probably the same way ladies can have their chests pumped up to ridiculous sizes, and faces can be mucked up to the point of grotesque. 

Combination of money, stupidity, 'rights' and a signed consent form.