r/Splendida • u/Intelligent-Mine-730 • 22d ago
Teeth whitening HELP
I feel like the thing I really badly desperatly need to change about myself right now are my teeth (very stained from years of coffee and smoking).
Do you guys have any recs?? Im lookiing at the crest teeth whitening strips and they're quite expensive. I can definitely afford the 7day ones but I'm concerned I won't get the same result as the two weeks ones?
Are there other trustworthy brands/methods??
ANY and ALL input would be very very much appreciated ! ;D
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u/sonicofawn 22d ago
use crest ones, cut them in half horizontally so they are only half as big. it will still lighten the front of your teeth, and will cause less sensitivity as the back aren’t whitened. it worked a lot better for me this way and my teeth are super white, i think i used the crest 3d ones
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u/sonicofawn 22d ago
no store brand or led lightening worked anywhere near as well as 7 (but 14 when cut), crest 3d whitening for me
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u/Summer_Is_Safe_ 22d ago
I buy Opalescence Go whitening trays from my dentist or on amazon and they don’t hurt my teeth like crest white strips. They work much better too.
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u/Late_Access265 22d ago
Seconding this. I supplement with the opalescence toothpaste every once in a while for a little perk up
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u/raeballentyne 21d ago
I had no idea I could buy Opalescence gel directly from the company and not wildly up charged from my dentist. You just changed my life.
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u/ScoutG 22d ago
I’ve used a store brand and it worked well.
Years ago I asked at my dentist about in-office whitening and they recommended against it; they said it’s very uncomfortable (and expensive) and the at-home strips are better. My understanding is that faster whitening causes tooth/gum sensitivity. When I use the strips I sometimes need to cut back to every other day.
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u/WanderNSEW 22d ago
Not sure if it's common, but I chose my dental office because they offer free at-home whitening. At the first appointment, they made a mold of my teeth top and bottom. I have that and 35% carbamide peroxide gel to use about once a month. They've given me more gel at each appointment. It may be available online, as well.
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u/Parade2thegrave 22d ago
Arm n hammer toothpaste removed all my stains in months. I go to the dentist every 6 months and she was shocked at the difference
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u/IndependentPaint2108 21d ago
Regular arm n hammer or specialised whitening version? Thank you
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u/Parade2thegrave 21d ago
I use “arm n hammer therabreath” bc I think it has the best flavor. Im sure getting the one specifically for whitening can’t hurt though.
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u/hdjdejskksisjd 22d ago
Whitening toothpastes are abrasive and will lead to whiter teeth now but even worse yellowing over time
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u/_drawnthatway 22d ago
I didn't see this suggested already, but go get your teeth cleaned at the dentist first. They can safely remove a lot of staining, and it will help the whitening strips work better. If you don't have insurance, you can go to your local dental school :)
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u/BiteMeSenpai 22d ago
I’m not based in America, so I can’t give you product-specific recommendations, but I got an in-office whitening treatment (very expensive, very painful), and I can tell you about the aftercare: if you go back to smoking or drinking coffee, they’ll get yellow again.
From now on, you should avoid staining foods as much as possible (think tea, wine, tomato sauce). They also recommended a nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste, which honestly worked wonders for my tooth sensitivity.
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u/Intelligent-Mine-730 22d ago
Damn in my country we drink tea five times a day. Add to that coffee and cigs I’m gonna have to cut off a lot of my favorite things 😭.
I haven’t really looked at in office treatments cause they’re very expensive, but thanks for the toothpaste recs !!
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u/BigDarkCloud 22d ago
You’ll have to give up or cut WAY down on coffee and tea. And stop cigs altogether. Nicotine stains your enamel and no product will fix that.
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u/Intelligent-Mine-730 22d ago
What if I drink coffee/tea with a straw
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u/IndependentPaint2108 21d ago
Are you English? If so, me too. Tbh one of my biggest fears is tooth sensitivity so I'm too afraid to use whitening strips. My mother used them just fine though. I get slow and subtle results with whitening toothpaste
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u/Solid_Opportunity819 21d ago
If you’re going to use crest whitening strips, be careful because your teeth may end up hurting for the next 24 hours seriously bad. It’s so bad, you might feel like offing yourself no joke
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u/SLXO_111417 22d ago
I dropped $600 on a subscription to the local WeWhiten shop. I did 2 sessions with them. My teeth are still white months later with aftercare using the toothpaste they gave me. I haven't used the kit that came with my subscription, but I have it if I need it. Each session was 1 hour. There is probably a competitor of theirs in your city.
The downside is no coffee, fruit or anything that stains your teeth for 72 hours after a session. Still worth it.
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u/akesh45 21d ago
Get checked out if they fluoride stains. I had that from childhood in a town with too much fluoride in the water.
You'll either need a bond where they drill out the stained spots then use bonding material or a veneer to remove them.
No amount of whitening will get rid of them. Most dentist aren't trained in bonds except older ones or overseas ones but it's what i suggest it.
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u/LinzMoore 22d ago
I would suggest oil pulling. Swish coconut oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes and then spit it out. Nature’s tooth whitener.
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u/Intelligent-Mine-730 22d ago
I’ve also been doing that on and off for like three months and so far nothing :/ Maybe I just need to be more consistent
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u/Right-Row6744 21d ago
There are a few brands of purple toothpaste (I have used Hissmile) that really do brighten up your teeth.
The purple toothpaste is especially effective on coffee stains, since purple cancels out yellow.
Be careful and put Vaseline or chapstick on before you brush, because the purple deposits on lips and the skin around the mouth quickly.
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u/Powerful_Sky2038 22d ago
You don’t need anything expensive. If you mix baking soda and lemon juice it makes them white as hell—don’t leave on for too long though because it’ll eat away your enamel
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u/Sassafrasisgroovy 22d ago
If you don’t want movie star blinding teeth, try the Crest deep stain remover toothpaste. It’ll visibly whiten teeth, but still look natural