A friend of mine likes the Crest white stripes for sensitive teeth. It takes longer than some of the other versions but it's not as harsh on sensitive teeth. Her teeth looked great, not too glaringly white but definitely better.

I bought them but have yet to try them. I had a coupon, they were on sale at Target, and if you bought them you rcvd a Target card worth $5.

My friend also drinks coffee with a straw! Not when in public but if she has coffee at home. I just can't imagine sucking hot liquid through a straw. I have no intention of trying that.

I'm a big tea drinker and I try to drink a little plain water after my tea to rinse away the tea.

Curiously the only people I know doing this are the young 20 somethings..and their teeth just do not look "normal". Teeth aren't supposed to GLOW, in my world. My MIL also used the strips, I can't say I ever noticed a difference for her.

I just read about this. My teeth are doomed for whitening. Dentist said they were not acceptable for whitening. This is due to the amount of enamel available, age and other issues in past. When we age our enamel becomes thin enough to have the interior of the tooth show which is why there is yellowing at different levels.

Most whiteners are peroxide based. Along with my toothpaste I brush with a mix of peroxide and soda. This is the closest for me to come to whitening. This does keep the coffee stains at bay, but then so does brushing/flossing.

As for drinking through a straw...8 weeks when jaws were wired. Plus straws and small opening bottles help with adding lip lines.

I think there is a dentist on our forum, chimes in when a post is applicable. Would be interesting to hear if I read right or a recommendation.

I've heard that the #1 thing you can do to look younger is to whiten your teeth. I've used several different kinds of whitening strips, the Crest, and the Listerine, and they all do the job. My husband has also used the Crest White Strips and his teeth look much better. We don't get our teeth that unnatural Chiclet white. The hygienist that cleans my teeth has a color guide, and my teeth are the whitest on the natural guide. She also has a guide that goes whiter for people who IMO over whiten their teeth.
As far as drinking through a straw - I used to drink my morning smoothie with a straw until I noticed that I was starting to get those lines around my mouth that I usually see on smokers.

I've never had a lot of luck with the whitener kits, but I have recently started using the Optic White toothpaste in the red tube (it is either Crest of Colgate). I started to notice a difference in about two weeks, and I think they are still getting a bit whiter. I read that your teeth should be about the color of the whites of your eyes...

I know lots of WAY over 20 somethings who whiten their teeth. I'd do it in a heartbeat and have tried but my teeth are extraordinarily sensitive and I can't keep the solution on long enough. May give the Crest Sensitive a try - thanks hhireno. My DH whitens about once a year (he's not a coffee, tea or red wine drinker) and it's a noticeable but subtle change - like a good trim as opposed to a whole new hairstyle.

I whitened my teeth about 8 years ago using the custom trays from the dentist and their solution. My teeth were sensitive to begin with, and the whitening only made it worse. But I still did it and loved the result. I quit drinking coffee during this time because I couldn't justify the whitening if I was just going to stain them. Then I whitened them again about 5 years ago and the sensitivity was much worse. It hurt to even put the solution on my teeth (whereas 8 years ago I would sleep with the trays in my mouth). Now I am afraid to even try. Maybe I'll try the Zoom process where the whitening is done in the dentist's office during one visit. I'm curious if that is painful too.

I also have a tray made by a dentist. I use the Opalescence gel whitener, 20 percent. I buy it on Amazon. The best time to use it is just after your teeth have been cleaned. I should try the straw in the coffee because I feel like my teeth could be whiter and I think the coffee is the culprit.

I love the too-white look! A dazzling smile is so pretty. Honestly, when I see someone with yellow teeth I wonder why they don't do something about it. Of course, even the strips are expensive, so not everyone can afford it.

One time I wore the tray so long my gums in the front got bleached white! I nearly freaked out when I saw that but the color returned in about 15 minutes. That was scary looking.

I wouldn't mind trying the Zoom method. We'll see.

I am three times 20 plus a few.

Maybe I'll try the Zoom process where the whitening is done in the dentist's office during one visit. I'm curious if that is painful too.

Don't do it! I had to have them stop less than 5 minutes into the procedure. OUCH!!!

Many years ago I had trays made and used a gel product for lightening from my dentist. It was okay, if you made using it a priority, which I did not. So when I heard about the "permanent" lightening technique my dentist did I decided to try that. It was about 2 hours in the dentist's chair and my teeth looked really nice, but it was NOT permanent. I think they are whiter now then they were when I had it done but the coffee, red wine, tea, etc. have darkened them some. It was expensive, wasn't covered by insurance, and was not all that the dentist's office described. Has anyone gotten those coupons for teeth whitening from Groupon or other LivingSocial? You can get this done at tanning salons and day spas! I am always wondering if what they do is equal to what they did at the dentist's office. I wonder if those places are safe, maybe that's where all the kids with the ultra-white teeth go. They advertise the bleaching for under $100 sometimes and the dentist charged much more than that.

I went to my dentist and asked about the whitening, he pointed out that i already had the night guard he made for me because i grind my teeth. He sold me a 12 dollar bottle of the whitening gel. I coat the inside of the guard with a thin layer and then wear the guard for a couple of hours or overnight. My guard was covered by my dentl insurance.

As a plus, if i put the guard in at 8, it discourages me from snacking.

My teeth are pretty sensitive, so I'll do it every other night for a week then quit til my teeth feel less sensitive, then do it again a few weeks or months later. It is easier to stay white than to get white.

Sometimes in a photo if i notice that my teeth are a little yellowish, i will use the touch ups menu in the photo editing software picasa to "clean" the teeth. You can fade the effect so it is very subtle. Picasa is free software.

There is natural white and there is "bright white" which is unnatural looking. You CAN go too white.

I do agree that yellowish teeth are a turn-off. I am lucky to have inherited good teeth. They don't yellow, but I have had the occasional staining (probably from tea). You can get professional strength Crest Strips from your dentist. I've used those a time or two. Did the job and looks completely natural.

I had a friend who did the Zoom whitening and had a horrible experience. Whatever they use to lighten the teeth "bounced" onto her gums and inside her lips. She ended up with burns. It was just awful. I have a feeling the equipment was faulty or the dentist was not experienced. By the way, her teeth still don't look so great. She has those white spots on her teeth that some people have and I can still see them.

I'm getting my teeth cleaned next week and will whiten them after that. The tray drives me nuts so I only wear it an hour, sometimes less.

Thank you for the advice everyone! You all are so helpful.

Has anyone ever heard this- before they had all these whiteners, some people would use ajax to whiten their teeth! It works well, but it's horrible for your teeth!

My hubby (who is generally terrified of the dentist) has done the ZOOM whitening as part of a larger dental process. He had let his dental care slide a bit because of his apprehension and needed quite a bit of work, including some white composite fillings in the front. I helped him find a highly recommended, highly qualified dentist who was understanding and respectful of his anxiety. She recommended the whitening procedure as the first step in his process. He definitely needed it, and it enabled the dentist to "match" the composite material to the natural color of his teeth at their cleanest state. He achieved fantastic results. I do understand that the process can be painful for people with sensitive teeth, but in our experience it certainly doesn't have to be - - his dentist gave him a de-sensitizing gel to use for 20 minutes each day for a week before his treatment. Hubby said if he felt anything he would call it a 'bit of heat', no pain at all. The results for him have been incredible, and he is very pleased and so much more confident with his smile. His dentist has been awesome through the entire process, and has totally changed Hubby's overall opinion of the 'dental experience'. I think that is the key - finding a competent, well trained and highly qualified professional. The cost of the ZOOM procedure was $250.

I'm currently wearing braces, but plan to look into whitening as soon as I'm able. I am actually thinking about moving all of my regular dental business to Hub's new dentist, because she's been outstanding.

rilie, Would you mind letting some of us know your whereabouts? I'm in the Philadelphia area and am looking for a new dentist.

Hi Judith - I don't mind - but I don't think it will help you in your search - - I'm on the east coast of Canada. :)

Several years ago I had a dentist tell me to mix Scope mouthwash and peroxide half and half and use daily. His exact words were
"your teeth won't whiten as quickly as the whitening treatments/strips, etc but over an extended period of time - 6 to 9 months, you will get the same results and it won't cost you anything - peroxide is $1.00 a large bottle".

I can tell that it does whiten my teeth some - not sure if it whitens to the degree that some want, plus my gums seems to stay healthier.

Tuesday

Judith, I am in the Philadelphia suburbs, Main Line area. I can recommend a couple dentists if that is the area you're looking for.

Tuesday...my dentist told me the same, for my waterpic.
I think most of the really white, perfect, teeth are laminates and not whitening. Looking closer at actors, etc. there is a too perfect result.

I had trays made by a dentist years ago and I do a touch up treatment every 6 months or so. My teeth are white but not faky white. I see a lot of people with yellow teeth that would look better if they whitened them.

Some people do go overboard with it but you don't have to.

My dentist recommended using hydrogen peroxide and soda bicarb to whiten my teeth but I use it with toothpaste instead of the soda. My dental hygienist said that tea stains teeth even more than coffee does and I drink more tea than coffee. If I use it every other day my teeth are as white as I want them.