I have a tray for my upper teeth. I buy the whitening gel on Amazon.xI use Opalescence. Start off with a lower percentage, not the highest. It will make your teeth painfully sensitive. I think my dentist said to brush first with Sensodyne toothpaste.

My lower teeth do not show when I smile. However, I asked my dentist about getting a tray for the lower teeth. He said don’t bother just use crest white strips. I have not tried them yet.

DS2 love the white strips. I bought them once and after a couple of days I started forgetting to use them. I may buy them again.

A few months ago I started using a baking soda rinse a few times a week due to the benefits for the mouth and teeth. Baking soda also whitens them over time.

Now I brush my teeth with toothpaste first, clean the brush, stick it in a little jar of baking soda and gently brush. I can tell a difference afterwards since I'm a big coffee drinker.

A salt water rinse is good for swollen or bleeding gums.

Found this on a dental website:

Baking soda has anti-bacterial and antimicrobial properties. It can be used as a mouth wash or mouth rinse after brushing your teeth to ensure that all the germs and bacteria have been removed from your mouth, even from those areas where your brush was unable to reach.

Many people prefer to use baking soda as a natural mouthwash instead of using alcohol-based mouthwashes. Research has shown using baking soda as a mouth wash helps to keep bacteria at bay, freshens our breath, and prevents oral infections and diseases.

Moreover, the baking soda mouthwash neutralizes the pH level of our saliva, makes it more alkaline so that the enamel of our tooth does not corrode because of increased acid in our saliva.

To make the baking soda mouthwash, simply add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of warm water and mix it well. Sip the mixture, rinse your mouth with it without swallowing, and repeat until your whole mouth feels clean and fresh.

SOOTHES CANKER SORES

Canker sores are small painful blisters or ulcers that are caused by inflammation in our mouth or intestines. They mostly appear on the tongue, gums, and insides of our cheeks.

Some studies have shown that baking soda is helpful in relieving pain and discomfort that is caused by canker sores. Its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties help soothe the pain.

You can make a banking soda rinse by mixing baking soda with water and rinsing your mouth with it at least thrice a day until the sores heal.

I’ve used whitening strips, but now that I have a tray in the form of my retainer, I want to try that. I’m a little worried about sensitivity. The dental hygenist at my dentist’s office told me that her husband once slept in his trays and he was miserable for a couple of days due to the sensitivity. Don’t want to do that. Thanks, dedtired, I’ll start slow.

Yes, sensitivity can be an issue even with the white strips if you use them too often.

I've used the Lumineux strips, which are non-toxic, don't cause sensitivity, and actually work. I don't believe they offer a gel-only option, but if you end up using strips, I highly recommend them.

Oakley, my DS no longer uses conventional mouthwash and toothpaste. I've switched to mouthwash without alcohol, and natural toothpaste, too. A dental assistant warned me years ago against regularly using baking soda on my teeth, but perhaps a baking soda mouthwash a few times a week would be less corrosive.

I cannot use any of the whitening toothpastes or any mouthwash containing alcohol It irritates by mouth something terrible. I used to be able to use Sensodyne Pro-enamel, but for the past 3 years, I’ve had to use Biotene.

I’ve ordered the Opalescence 10% to try, starting with the lower percentage as ded suggested. We’ll see….

Bumping this back up - bbstx have you done this yet? What's the verdict? Sensitivity?

I've used the Lumineux strips that Feathers mentioned and they do work but for me the results are very short lived. I'm not a red wine drinker, only drink one cup of coffee/day and brush right after - maybe it would be the same with any product.

I’m a chicken. I bought the Opalescence stuff (10%) and I’ve pushed it from one side of my vanity to the other for nearly a month trying to get upt the courage to JUST DO IT.

DD had hers whitened with Zoom in the dentist office last week. She said several hours after she left the dentist office she had terrible, but relatively brief, pain. She is very pain tolerant (not like her weenie of a mother!) and she just powered through and went on with her life. What I found interesting were the dietary restrictions she had for 48 hours. Basically, she could only eat white food. She could have apple and pears, but they had to be peeled. She could have bananas, obviously peeled. She could only have chicken or white fish. Only white bread and no crusts. Cauliflower and potatoes. The list went on….

I just had Zoom whitening done. For about 2 hours afterward one of my front teeth was sensitive to cold. And yes, I had to do the white food diet for 72 hours. Since we were in Mexico at the time, it wasn't easy. Croissants and chicken caesar salads were my go to. I'm glad I had it done and the discomfort was very minimal as I said.

Because of this topic I began an experiment last night. The main ingredient in Crest white strips is hydrogen peroxide, 6.5% strength. Most people keep 3% strength. BTW, stop using hydrogen peroxide on sores. :)

After a lot of reading I found out we can whiten our teeth with 1 part HP and 1 part water. Gargle for one minute and spit it out. It can be done 4 times a day. After I brushed and flossed I gargled and I swear I can see a slight difference.

I put a small plastic juice glass and the HP right next to the sink so I won't forget.

Nekotish, you were in Mexico and had to be on a white food diet? That would be a nightmare for me. lol

@nekotish, did you have any issue with tolerating all of the stuff they put in your mouth while doing the Zoom process? DD said she’s not sure I could tolerate it. I have trouble with the bite-wing thingies that the dentist uses for x-rays.

bbstx I would probably do the same thing - I have another pack of the Lumineux in my drawer and have not used it even though I know it works and doesn't hurt! I know I could not do the Zoom whitening as my teeth are sensitive. I have a small mouth so the bite wings are uncomfortable for me but it's so brief I manage. That would be another deterrent for me to do the Zoom.

DLM, as I said, DD is very tolerant of pain and discomfort, but even she said having all of that stuff in her mouth for an hour was ”not pleasant.”

The mouth gear was definitely the most uncomfortable part but it wasn't painful. Kind of like having the rubber dam, etc in your mouth at the dentist. It feels so good when they take it off! @Oakley - I had it done on the day before we left for that very reason!

Nekotish, you must visit Mexico often if it didn't bother you missing their great cuisine. That's where I ate guacamole the first time and now I'm addicted. At least you got to eat flour tortillas!

Oakley, this last trip was out 10th time in Mexico. We had been there for three weeks this trip so I had lots of time to enjoy Mexican food before I didn't!

I find it interesting that none of my dentists or hygienist seem to have super white teeth and when I specifically ask if they have bleached they all say no but give no reasons.

Roarah, my orthodontist bleaches his teeth. He and I talked about the best thing for me to use. Putting the goop in my retainer wasn’t working well. Plus, the recommended wear time was FOUR HOURS. He recommended Crest Whitestrips that have a recommended wear time of 30 mintues. I’ve been using the Whitestrips off and I’m happy with the results.

This is timely. I'm getting Invisaligns in the next week or so. Getting my bite corrected is priority #1. But when I had my first consultation with the orthodontist, she mentioned that the trays could be used for whitening as well.

I have a supply of Crest strips. The reason I haven't used them much is that when I put them on I instantly start salivating and have to sit with paper towels up to my mouth so I don't drool or have to swallow the stuff. Does that happen to any of you?

Bunny, check with your orthodontist. I don’t think you are going to want to whiten your teeth while wearing the Invisaligns. Mine told me not to because when the buttons are removed there would be discolored patches where the buttons are attached.

When I whiten mine now, I do not have a problem with drooling. The old ones (5-10 years ago), I did. The goop on the new style Whitestrips is very thick and the strips stick very tightly. My orthodontist suggested that once I apply the strips that I put my retainers on too to hold the strips in place. I believe the goop is safe to swallow. In fact, I think you can drink water while you are wearing them.

Mine told me not to because when the buttons are removed there would be discolored patches where the buttons are attached.

That makes perfect sense.

Can a twelve year old try whitestrips or do you think she should wait.

her baby teeth were so white and then her pernament teeth came in yellowish from the first day.

Is the 12 year old asking about whitening or is this on her behalf? If she's asking, I would wonder where she is getting the message that her teeth need whitening - is it coming from peers? At that age I personally believe it is far more important to model body positivity in all areas for her, including teeth. So unless there is some medical reason or her teeth are extraordinarily dark leading to teasing, my gut says no.

I just happen to have a new box of Whitestrips in the cabinet. Here is what it says:

Looks like if she is 12, Crest has no objection. To be on the safe side, I’d ask her dentist. I don’t have a lot of sensitivity resulting from the strips, but some folks do. There is a ”sensitive teeth” version also by Crest.

Unless she has a high level of manual dexterity, you might need to put them on and take them off.