Tooth Whitening

I had my teeth whitened when I got my braces off a couple of years ago. It was "free" with the braces, but was usually £200 from the dentist. I was skeptical, but I must say, it was brilliant. It was one of the ones where you have a tray made for your teeth and you have to wear them with the special gel in for an hour before bed every day for 14 days. After 14 days, there was a 12 shade difference ? (I have naturally not very white teeth it would seem as I don't smoke or drink coffee/wines etc)

I didn't have any pain or sensitivity at all. I got an additional tube of gel for top ups, which should last a year. I think mine lasted 6 months because we moved house and what was left ended up being chucked. I'd say the results lasted about 3 months, with the top ups helping after that.

I'd definitely have it done again and will for our wedding in September- but now only need to buy the top up tubes (£50) as I already have the custom tray. I don't know which whitening it was I had though, I don't think they ever mentioned it! It wasn't that zoom thing though with the UV lights.

I had the same as S&L above.

I had a custom made tray and little bleach tubes, but mine wasn't as strong as I was advised to wear it through the night.

The results were fantastic. Don't get me wrong my teeth were not yellow in the slightest, but I've always been concious about them and now I'm permanently grinning like a moron (when I remember, that is, I do have a terrible "bitchy resting face").

I did have a slight problem with sensitivity though. I found eating with metal cutlery and walking bare foot on carpet 'went through me'. My dentist had never heard of such weird side effects but I used the Colgate sensitive toothpaste which worked a treat.

Now I only wear the trays every other night for a wk/ten days every few months and it keeps them white.

I think I paid about £250.

I want this too, non smoker, don't drink tea or coffee or anything but still not white. Going to find a new dentist before the wedding.

I have an air polish at my dentist every 6 months and so many people ask me if I've had my teeth whitened, might be worth a try? X

Me and OH did ours maybe about 6-8 months ago - again done by our dentist, they make a little tray and you put some gel in it and sleep with it in. Ours recommended two weeks of that followed by the occassional night top up thereafter. Neither of our teeth were yellow, the dentist actually commented on how white mine were already, but i still felt I wanted them to be a bit brighter, and thats what the whitening did, whitened and brightened, just a couple of shades but noticeable to me.

The negatives though, and one was a pretty big one and means I havent actually done a top up since that initial period, on the third night I woke with agonising pain in one of my lower teeth, like an electric shock, it was awful, i was nearly in tears thinking id permanently damaged something. I took the trays straight out, washed my mouth out, slapped on tons of sensitive toothpaste and a gel the dentist had given, took some painkillers, but it kept shooting through the tooth/gum all night, it did fade by mid morning the next day. I called the dentist who said he hadnt heard about such an extreme/weird reaction so I did what we all do and googled it and it is a potential side effect, they're called 'zingers' (stupid name) and oh man do they hurt, i mean really hurt. after that i just did the top teeth, and did the bottom teeth for a few hours (and used plenty of sensitive gel/toothpaste) and just had the occassional twinge with it while the tray was in, but nothing otherwise. So its not a permanent pain thank god!

And its not put me off, I am going to re-do my top teeth, and will probably give the bottom teeth and hour or two every few evenings. When I smile only my top teeth show anyway. OH and some of our friends who've done this havent experienced any pain or sensitivity so I was just unlucky.

The other slight thing, is you can develop little white spots on yor teeth, cant remember the exact reason, its something to do with the thickness of your tooth enamel or calcium deposits or something - they can disappear, but occassionally apparently can be permanent - I had a tiny one off to the side of one or two teeth but it was only noticeable cus I was looking closely, and it didnt last.

As anything health/medical/cosmetic based like this though Id speak to your dentist cus theyll be able to give you the best advice based on yuor teeth :

I had it done a few months before the wedding and it was great! No sensitivity at all but I got cocky! Had it done again and had the worst zingers in my fangs that lasted all weekend. Agony. I suspect it was due to the scale & polish i'd had earlier that week which exposed my gums a little? It's been a few months since and I still shudder when I think of the pain, i don't think i'll ever get them done again.

I just use a whitening toothpaste now and occasionaly mix up a bicarb paste and scrub that in.