<p>Does anyone have any advice on having teeth whitened. It is for my 18 year old daughter. For whatever reason, her teeth just aren’t as white as they should be, she’s not a coffee, tea or cola drinker, or a smoker. In this day and age I don’t think an 18 year old should have to suffer with self esteem issues due to yellowish teeth.</p>
<p>Just wondering what methods anyone has tried, i.e, over the counter, professional dentist, etc. including cost effectiveness and duration of results. </p>
<p>color of teeth is genetic.
Some people have their teeth veneered or capped, & there are lots of products that do it yourself at the other spectrum. I really like the high powered electronic toothbrushes with the hydrogen peroxide kits every once in a while.</p>
<p>People seem to either have great looking teeth that are prone to extensive cavities or teeth that need a lot of work but with mouth acid that resists cavities.</p>
<p>still- if she is hung up on color of teeth- bleaching them may not solve all her problems- after all that is a purely appearance related issue & she is much more than her teeth.</p>
<p>“still- if she is hung up on color of teeth- bleaching them may not solve all her problems- after all that is a purely appearance related issue & she is much more than her teeth.”</p>
<p>not sure what “problems” you are referring to. She is a normal 18 year old girl naturally aware of her appearance. Her teeth are unfortunately not as white and bright she would like.</p>
<p>Veneers and caps aren’t even under consideration as she has beautiful healthy teeth.</p>
<p>We are just looking for some advice on simple cosmetic methods to brighten up the smile. </p>
<p>My girls routinely (at least once a year) use the over the counter crest whitestripes. They really do work and are (per my dentist) relatively safe for the enamel. One of my daughters also sometimes uses a brush on tooth whitener (but I am not sure of its name). I myself have used crest whitestrips. They do make my teeth temporarily sensitive to cold but I can combat that by switching to sensodyne toothpaste (on a temporary basis). I also will put a plug in for ultrabrite toothpaste. The first “whitening” toothpaste that I have used that really does help.</p>
<p>My D’s and I have used the overnight bleaching trays from the dentist. Stronger and better coverage than WhiteStrips but more money. You can keep the trays and buy more peroxide solution from the dentist if you need to re-do in future years. It made a nice, long-lasting difference.
After all we spent on their braces, it seemed like whitening was worth it.</p>
<p>For best (and most costly) results in the quickest time, ask your dentist about BrightSmile or similar done in his office. Sometimes you can find coupons at other dentist offices for this.<br>
I offered it to my kids. Older one canceled his appt. Younger one will be encouraged before he starts college.
My dentist tried it out on both his teenage daughters when he first got his machine. No problem to use with an 18 year old. My friend had both her kids go through this procedure at ages 13 and 15.</p>
<p>My kids (all of whom had braces) use an over the counter teeth whitener each night in their retainers. There is a paint on one at CVS. The bleach is mild and it’s really effective!</p>
<p>Thank you all for your constructive advice. </p>
<p>I am happy to hear from so many that the over the counter strips do work. I am going to inquire at my dentist about Bright Smile as the other end of the spectrum alternative. I like the fact that it is quick, but the expense may not justfy the method.</p>
<p>S used Crest Whitestrips after his braces came off and ended up with a noticeable improvement. He was very happy with the result. Now, a year later, they are still just as white.</p>
<p>My daughter and several of her friends have used Crest White Stripes with noticeable improvement. The dentist recommended this as an affordable, safe and effective treatment. Costco carries them and I periodically see them on sale at the chain drug stores.</p>
<p>not sure what “problems” you are referring to. She is a normal 18 year old girl naturally aware of her appearance. Her teeth are unfortunately not as white and bright she would like.</p>
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<p>I know kids with cancer who have lost their hair- who have CP and have to use a walker or wheelchair to get around and kids with foster parents who take their " real" kids on vacation and send the foster kids off to a camp where they don’t want to be.</p>
<p>A young adult whose has self esteem issues because her beautiful healthy teeth aren’t as sparking white as she would like are a bit under my radar.</p>
<p>I am glad that you got some suggestions to try.</p>
<p>the knock on Bright Smile is that the whiteness does not last nearly as long as it does with the bleaching trays. It’s great if you have a wedding or a photo shoot coming up, but it does not last. I’ve tried both bleaching trays and Bright Smile and I don’t think Bright Smile is worth the $$. What I have found works well ,[ but not as well as the bleaching trays] and is much less expensive is to buy a 2os container of Glyoxide, which is nothing more than 10% Carbamide Peroxide in a liquid form- [the same bleaching ingredient used in bleaching gels]- and brush my teeth with that once a day. In addition, any of the new bleaching mouthwashes, which have peroxide in them, help to keep teeth white and gums healthy.</p>
<p>S just had dentist “Zoom” his teeth and they look great. In fact, all 3 of my kids (ages 15-21) have had their teeth whitened… To me it’s no big deal if it makes them smile more easily!</p>
<p>Just to add my $0.02 on the over-the-counter stuff. I tried them all as they came out–the trays you mold to your teeth, the heavy-duty strips, . . . In the end I think something like Crest white strips is about as easy as it gets, is affordable, and makes a decent difference, although likely not what you’d get from a dentist. Just need to find a point in your day to do it for a couple of weeks–maybe before getting in the shower, or on a long car drive, or . . . ?</p>
<p>emeraldkity, I did not in any way intend to equate yellow teeth with tragic illness or deplorable home lives.</p>
<p>Perhaps the use of the term self-esteem was misleading, I don’t know a better way to explain. Apparently many others who have answered this post don’t need an explanation.</p>
<p>This is supposed to be a place where people can get help on a range of issues. Why you would jump from a simple cosmetic dentistry question to cancer, walkers and foster homes is really unnecessary in my opinion.</p>
<p>“A young adult whose has self esteem issues because her beautiful healthy teeth aren’t as sparking white as she would like are a bit under my radar.”</p>
<p>Then with all due respect, perhaps you shouldn’t have responded to this post.</p>
<p>I have tried the strips and have not seen much difference. The bleaching trays work great but you have to be prepared for sensitive teeth and the expense. My D will probably do the bleaching trays at some point - she has never asked about it and I haven’t suggested it but I feel it will come up now that she is in college and she’ll learn that other kids have had it done. She is also a performer so white teeth take on added importance.</p>