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2003/06/07, 12:01 PM
no matter how well i brush my teeth, they stay yellow!
it really bothers me coz its so not atractive.
once for about 2 months i brushed them 20-30 mins twice a day! -thats how determined i was. now i brush them around 8-10 mins twice a day. i think the problem is that i have to constantly eat (i have a diet to gain muscle) and my teeth are therefore constantly under 'acid attacks'.
does anyone else have this problem or any secret formulas to share for whitening teeth? :)
i've stopped drinking tea and coffee and i don't smoke.
btw-my dentist said that my teeth are very clean, so it doesn't have anything to do with the way i brush them.
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2003/06/07, 03:42 PM
Crest White strips are by far the best
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2003/06/08, 03:42 AM
the problem is that whiteners are expenisive and they increase tooth sensitivity.
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2003/06/08, 02:08 PM
Brushing your teeth too much (like 20-30 minutes twice a day.. wow my arm would get tired)... would probably end up help you brush the enamel... here are some quotes..
1. Brushing too hard ruins gum tissue, thereby causing the gums to recede. This unsightly gum recession can ruin an otherwise perfect smile. Unfortunately, gum tissue never grows back.
2. Brushing too hard strips tooth enamel from the tooth making the tooth sensitive to heat, cold, and other stimuli. Stripped enamel reveals the underlying tooth layer called the dentin. Because dentin is yellowish in color, the result is an ever increasing yellowish smile. As with gum tissue, enamel can never grow back.
Really i've been brushing regularly with Rembrant intense stain remover and used a Metadent tooth whitening system and it doesn't really seem to be doing very much. I know I read somewhere else that toothpastes like this really just prevent your teeth from becoming yellower and can't really make them whiter by very much. Maybe their a little whiter but still probably wasn't worth it. If you want them whiter you probably should ask your dentist about what they have available but usually whitening procedures are pretty expensive...
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2003/06/08, 02:52 PM
Why dont we just add a dental hygiene forum?
One feels that we may have lost the plot here......
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2003/06/08, 03:16 PM
According to my dentist, it isn't how long you brush your teeth. It's how well you brush them and how well you floss. When I was young I had some teeth out and had to take a medication that stained the permanent teeth coming in. My parents paid for several in office professional whitening procedures over the next several years. Since I've been on my own and not under my dad's great dental insurance, I could not afford to keep this up. This is what my dentist has me doing, and I regularly get compliments on how white/healthy my teeth are:
1) A soft-bristled toothbrush that allows you to reach every surface of each tooth. (for me this is a small head brush..the regular and large do not reach the sides of my back teeth due to a small mouth). If the bristles on your toothbrush are bent or frayed, buy a new one. A worn-out brush won't clean your teeth properly. I also use Colgate 2-in-1 Toothpaste & Mouthwash Whitening.
2) To clean the outside surfaces of all your teeth, position the brush at a 45-degree angle where your gums and teeth meet. Gently move the brush in a circular motion several times using short, gentle strokes. Apply light pressure to get the bristles between the teeth, but do not use so much pressure that you feel discomfort.
3) After cleaning the outside surfaces of all your teeth, use the same method on the inside of the back teeth. Move the brush in short, gentle but firm strokes, keeping it angled against the gumline. To clean the inside surfaces of the upper and lower front teeth, hold the brush vertically. Make several gentle back-and-forth strokes over each tooth and its surrounding gum tissue.
4) To clean the biting surfaces of your teeth, use short, gentle strokes. Since the toothbrush can clean only one or two teeth at a time, change the position of the brush as often as necessary to reach and clean all tooth surfaces. Watch yourself in a mirror to make sure you cover each surface. After brushing, rinse vigorously with a mouthwash (I use listerine) to remove loosened plaque.
5) Begin with a piece of waxed about 18 inches in long. (I use Oral B Satin Tape). I have a hard time getting the floss between my teeth, so she gave me a tool to make it easier. But, if you are using your hands, lightly wrap floss around the middle finger of one hand. Wrap the rest of the floss around the middle finger of the opposite hand. To clean the upper teeth, hold the floss tightly between the thumb and forefinger of each hand. The fingers controlling the floss should be no more than one-half inch apart.
6) Gently insert the floss between the teeth, using a back-and-forth motion. Do not force the floss or snap it into place. Guide the floss to the gumline. Curve the floss into a C-shape against one tooth. Slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth until you feel light resistance. Using both hands, move the floss up and down on the side of one tooth. Remember, there are two tooth surfaces that need to be cleaned in each space. Repeat this technique on each of all the upper teeth. As the floss becomes frayed or soiled, a turn from one middle finger to the other will bring up a fresh section.
7) Rinse vigorously with water after flossing to remove the plaque and food particles.
If you want to see how well you are brushing, you can buy a disclosing tablet at the drug store. You brush your teeth, then chew on the tablet until dissolved then swish vigorously & gently rinse with water. It leaves a harmless dye on all places where there is still plaque.
I also use the Crest Whitestrips($29.99 at CVS Pharmacy) and they last a month. The box says to wear them 30 minutes, but my dentist said 1 hour won't hurt, so I leave them in for an hour. It also says to use all the upper strips first. I use the upper and lower at the exact same time. They are probably cheaper at Wal-Mart.
You can get whitening gel with the mouthpieces for as low as $8.99 at CVS.
Some extra tips:
1) No smoking. (Not saying you do at all...just that it stains teeth).
2) Cut back tea, coffee, soft drinks. They also stain teeth.
3) See a dentist no less than once a year for proper cleanings and tatar removal.
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~Jennifer
http://www.gwindalyn.com
If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
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2003/06/08, 04:30 PM
thanks a lot for that gwindalyn!
just one question: i thought you floss your teeth before brushing them and not afterwards...!
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2003/06/09, 12:58 AM
I do mine after. I have no idea if one is better than the other or why.
I also forgot...I brush/floss twice a day every day. I MIGHT three times depending on what I had for lunch.
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~Jennifer
http://www.gwindalyn.com
If you dont stand for something, you will fall for anything.
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2003/06/10, 03:49 AM
Good post, I think the biggest problem with most people is what they put in to stain your teeth in the first place – worst two by far are drinks (tea/coffee, soft drinks full of colourings) and smoking. If you do either this will take the shine of. Generally drinks (eg coffee) give a general discolouration and smoking give specific dirty yellow stains round the edges (and from my experience of girls who smoke mouths that always taste like ashtrays - yuck). Unfortunately for me most academic research is fuelled on coffee, so I minimise the effects but giving them a QUICK brush after a cup. But if you can cut either out your life style you might notice some improvement.
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2003/06/19, 06:46 AM
Everyone has slightly different shades of white for their enamel. Mine is slightly yellow (don't drink coffee/tea or smoke) my dentist told me that it was just my natural shade.
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2005/08/20, 01:32 PM
if you used a good toothpaste and brushed 20 mins twice a day for 2 months, theres NO way ur teeth will still be yellow. was ur teeth like really really yellow? i brush once in the morning and my teeth are pretty fine. u shud used a circular or up and down motion, do not brush sideways.
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