Teeth Whitening Product help, please?

[wannasail4ever]

My husband recently did the teeth whitening treatment on RCCL's Mariner of the Seas. As some have said, they do advertise this as $199. with $150. during port days. Then when you get through with the treatment and your teeth are not white enough, they sell you little bottles of Gentle Touch Brush-On Tooth Whitener for about $50. per bottle. You're supposed to buy 3. My husband bought 2 and now wishes he had another. The lady said that you could get this through their land based spa dept. Well, guess what. You can't. I've tried.

 

My question: Does anyone know where you can purchase a .40 oz bottle of Gentle Touch Brush-On Tooth Whitener? His little after care card mentions the word ApperA. I've tried a couple of spots on the internet, but one got "DON"T DO IT!!!!" reviews. They don't deliver and charge you anyway.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Or, what other product would be the best to continue on with?

 

Thanks

 

Macy

[palmlover]

Hello, I am a dental hygienist in Florida and I think I can give you some advice here.....

 

I think the price for the brush-on whitening liquid that you have described seems pretty high. Any type of brush-on whitening agent is not going to deliver great results simply because it cannot maintain contact with the tooth for long enough to penetrate the porous surfaces of the teeth. For about 40$, I would instead encourage him to buy the Crest WhiteStrips "Premium" which are available at most dentist offices. If that isn't an option, buy the WhiteStrips that are over the counter in drugstores and supermarkets. They are not as strong as the ones you can buy from your dentist, but I tell you that I have seen amazing results from these products, sometimes even equivalent to our take-home trays that we sell for upwards of 250$, and definitely better than the ZOOM in office treatment. I think you will find these WhiteStrips products will bring him up a few shades. Also, remember that while bleaching and about 72 hours after the last treatment, ALL staining agents should be avoided, this includes coffee, tea, wine, smoking, etc. The teeth become so porous during the bleaching process that they soak up everything and can re-uptake even more stain!

 

Just for future reference and safety, I do not think it is a good idea to have whitening procedures done onboard cruise ships. They are not performed by licensed clinicians in most cases, and the product strength is not nearly as good as what you will find in the US. Just my opinion, being my profession and all!!

 

Good luck with the continued whitening!

[Jane110]

Hello, I am a dental hygienist in Florida and I think I can give you some advice here.....

Also, remember that while bleaching and about 72 hours after the last treatment, ALL staining agents should be avoided, this includes coffee, tea, wine, smoking, etc. The teeth become so porous during the bleaching process that they soak up everything and can re-uptake even more stain!

 

 

 

 

So are you saying that if we're using the Crest White Strips we should not be drinking any coffee or drinking red wine? What's the best sequence to use them?

I appreciate you input as a professional who deals with this daily.

 

Jane

[Lil Dutch Girl]

I'm not a professional, so let me say that I think a dental professional should have the final word on this topic. However, I do have some personal experience with two dental whitening products.

 

Crest Whitestrips (Premium)

 

This was my first experience with whitening. I'm 60 years old, so I had a lot of intrinsic yellowing and staining. These strips did an OK job at removing a good deal of the yellow in my teeth. The main drawback with this product is that the strips cover only the front teeth. If you have a big smile, the back teeth, which remain stained, show everytime you smile.:(

 

Dr. George's Dental White http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100213&navAction=jump&navCount=1&id=prod357305

 

My second experience was with Dr. George's Dental White (available at Walgreen's)

This product comes with trays that you can mold to your upper and lower teeth. I understand they're not as good as the trays you get from your dentist, but were easy to form and use. I liked this product better than the Crest strips because the trays allowed me to treat the back as well as the front teeth. It's also very inexpensive compared with the strips. As a side note, I found that I could use up my leftover Crest strips and bump up their concentration by coating them with some of the Dr. George's gel. My only advice would be that if you have very sensitive teeth due to receeding gums, etc. this product is not for you. It's more concentrated than the Crest strips, but works a lot faster.

 

Good luck!

[ihavecandy123]

I used Crest Whitestrips before my wedding and they worked wonders! I loved them and I could see a difference in about a week of using them.

 

However, I wouldn't suggest them if you have sensitive teeth. I don't have sensitive teeth, but one day, when I used the strips one right after the other (an hour total in a row), my teeth felt really sensitive. The next day, I spread out the treatments and everything was fine!

 

I recommend them, definitely!

[palmlover]

Yes, I definitely recommend that you stay away from staining agents while you are bleaching if you can. Wait a few days after you have finished the bleaching if possible, you will have better results!

 

Someone else mentioned sensitivity, which is definitely the biggest complaint among bleaching patients, and the best solution for this is to do a fluoride rinse daily, or use a brush-on fluoride gel called Gel-Kam that is available at the pharmacy (you do not need a RX, but you have to ask the pharmacist for it) Also, take a day off from bleaching if the sensitivity is too much.

 

Hope this helps!

[wannasail4ever]

Thanks to all of you! I really do appreciate the professional advice as well as the experience of previous users.

 

Palmover - this information does help me not to continue to look for the product used on the ship.

 

Personally, I had my teeth bleached in a dental office with trays and day-white. Got unbelievable results! And I only touch up once a year (right before we cruise :D )

 

Thanks again. Continued input will be appreciated.

 

Macy

[Jane110]

Yes, I definitely recommend that you stay away from staining agents while you are bleaching if you can. Wait a few days after you have finished the bleaching if possible, you will have better results!

Hmmm.....the big problem with that is you're supposed to use the strips for a couple of weeks. I couldn't stay away from coffee that long!

Thanks for your input.

 

[khm1]

Hello, I am a dental hygienist in Florida and I think I can give you some advice here.....

 

I think the price for the brush-on whitening liquid that you have described seems pretty high. Any type of brush-on whitening agent is not going to deliver great results simply because it cannot maintain contact with the tooth for long enough to penetrate the porous surfaces of the teeth. For about 40$, I would instead encourage him to buy the Crest WhiteStrips "Premium" which are available at most dentist offices. If that isn't an option, buy the WhiteStrips that are over the counter in drugstores and supermarkets. They are not as strong as the ones you can buy from your dentist, but I tell you that I have seen amazing results from these products, sometimes even equivalent to our take-home trays that we sell for upwards of 250$, and definitely better than the ZOOM in office treatment. I think you will find these WhiteStrips products will bring him up a few shades. Also, remember that while bleaching and about 72 hours after the last treatment, ALL staining agents should be avoided, this includes coffee, tea, wine, smoking, etc. The teeth become so porous during the bleaching process that they soak up everything and can re-uptake even more stain!

 

Just for future reference and safety, I do not think it is a good idea to have whitening procedures done onboard cruise ships. They are not performed by licensed clinicians in most cases, and the product strength is not nearly as good as what you will find in the US. Just my opinion, being my profession and all!!

 

Good luck with the continued whitening!

Well said! I am a dentist. Many of these products really work wonders. It is important to know several things before whitening your teeth:

1. See you dentist first. If you use these products when there is underlying dental disease, you may do yourself harm. You may not even be aware of dental problems you have. Pain is a poor predictor of dental disease!

2. Crowns and fillings will NOT whiten! You could end up with two-toned teeth.

3. All of the in-office and over-the-counter products have the same 2 ingredients: carbanide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide.

4. You may experience PRONOUNCED sensitivity while using these products. It will resolve with time.

5. You can have too much of a good thing. After you use these products for about 3-4 weeks, you should stop and only "touch-up" about 1-2 times per year for a few days only. I see many patients overuse these products. No one really knows the long-term effects.

 

All-in-all, use caution. These are powerful products and should not be used without your dentist's supervision.

[Sunshine91]

I used Crest Whitestrips before my wedding and they worked wonders! I loved them and I could see a difference in about a week of using them.

 

Hi Raven - In your avatar pic it looks like you have a pretty big smile - see lots of pretty white teeth when you smile :) . Me too. So - how did the Crest Whitestrips work for all of your teeth? Thanks.

[PennyAgain]

I had to give up teeth whitening due to extreme sensitivity. I was using Crest White Strip and rinse according to package directions. My dentist said 'you just can't do that'.

 

I appreciate the information in this thread.

[Jane110]

khm1,

 

Thanks for your input!

[cb at sea]

If they make your teeth too sensitive, use them only once a day and switch to a "sensitive" tooth paste.

These strips really work!

[khm1]

If they make your teeth too sensitive, use them only once a day and switch to a "sensitive" tooth paste.

These strips really work!

Good advice. Don't give up. You may just need to go slowly. Many people find that they tolerate whitening every other day. It may take longer, but you'll still get good results.:D

[momofmeg]

One thing I wanted to ask I did the crest whitening strips this past summer and I bought the Oral B Rembrant because I read it had beter marks then the Rest Whitestrips-over the counter.

 

Now I am wondering if I should wait awhile before usuing it.

 

BTW-I drink coffee and tea both,although I don't drink colas hardly ever. I did not realize these things would restain your teeth. Now I do brush my teeth also with baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide once a day-because I was told this would help keep the teeth from restaining. It tastes terrible-do you think that really helps?

[palmlover]

One thing I wanted to ask I did the crest whitening strips this past summer and I bought the Oral B Rembrant because I read it had beter marks then the Rest Whitestrips-over the counter.

 

Now I am wondering if I should wait awhile before usuing it.

 

BTW-I drink coffee and tea both,although I don't drink colas hardly ever. I did not realize these things would restain your teeth. Now I do brush my teeth also with baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide once a day-because I was told this would help keep the teeth from restaining. It tastes terrible-do you think that really helps?

Brushing with baking soda does remove stain, but be careful because it is very abrasive. This is what I use to polish my patient's teeth, it's a device called a prophy-jet that uses baking soda with a high pressure air/water spray to remove stain, and it is AMAZING so I definitely believe in the power of it as a stain remover. But remember that any stain that has become "intrinsic" or inside the tooth after a period of time can only be "removed" or made whiter by having something that will penetrate the tooth, such as whitestrips or bleaching gels. I don't believe too much in the Rembrandt products, but that is just my personal opinion.

[ihavecandy123]

Hi Raven - In your avatar pic it looks like you have a pretty big smile - see lots of pretty white teeth when you smile :) . Me too. So - how did the Crest Whitestrips work for all of your teeth? Thanks.

 

 

Thanks.

 

Of course, the strips are not big enough to reach around to your back teeth--soo yes, with the strips you get white FRONT teeth. I mean, not just your two front teeth. I would say about 5-6 teeth back. I didn't have significant staining, just some yellowing, so this wasn't a problem for me. They whitened the teeth people see the most ... and the change was huge.

 

I guess if you wanted ALL of your teeth whitened because you have staining, the professional system would probably be better for that? But I don't really know anything about that... just the strips!

[Ms Belvedere]

Dr. George's Dental White http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100213&navAction=jump&navCount=1&id=prod357305

My second experience was with Dr. George's Dental White (available at Walgreen's)

This product comes with trays that you can mold to your upper and lower teeth. I understand they're not as good as the trays you get from your dentist, but were easy to form and use. I liked this product better than the Crest strips because the trays allowed me to treat the back as well as the front teeth. It's also very inexpensive compared with the strips.

Dr. George's looks similar to what I use: Opti-White. Opti White has the formable trays and comes with a tube of whitening gel, you can get it at CVS for about the same price. I use it in the morning while getting ready for work, it only takes 5-10 mins. When the gel in the package runs out I get the tubes of Plus White for $5.99 at CVS. I'd swear it's the same product that comes in the package of Optiwhite.

 

My dentist said to avoid teeth stains, drink colas, coffee and teas through a straw and be careful with foods like blueberries since they do a job on white teeth. :D

 

Ms B

[Too blessed to be stressed]

I found the crest white strips premium at Walgreens on sale this week for $27.99. :)

Tammy

[Too blessed to be stressed]

double post sorry

[Too blessed to be stressed]

Actually once I went to purchase the crest white strips it was not the premium. I found the premium plus and this one was 40.00. I hope this was the product mentioned above that is sold at the dentist office.

Tammy

[kitty9]

I was just on Celebrity Constellation and was sitting in the salon waiting for the wonderful frangipani scalp treatment. I watched a young lady cutting a woman's hair, and when she was finished she came over to man sitting next to me as he was her next appointment. She was going to do the teeth whitening. I was VERY surprised by this. For me, I would never, ever go to someone who's nothing more than a beautician to do a treatment on my teeth. The man, who was extremely surprised by this, said there's no way he was going through with the treatment. He was under the impression that they had specially trained personnel to do this kind of thing. He walked right out of the salon.

[MIcruiser99]

But remember that any stain that has become "intrinsic" or inside the tooth after a period of time can only be "removed" or made whiter by having something that will penetrate the tooth, such as whitestrips or bleaching gels.

 

That is interesting to know. I just finished a tube of whitening toothpaste and didn't see that it made a difference. Now, I know not to try a second tube! Thanks.

[MIcruiser99]

Actually once I went to purchase the crest white strips it was not the premium. I found the premium plus and this one was 40.00. I hope this was the product mentioned above that is sold at the dentist office.

Tammy

 

I saw both Crest Strips at Drugstore.com. The regular strips were $24.99 and the premium was on sale for $34.89 (reg. $40).

[CateW]

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Hmmm.....the big problem with that is you're supposed to use the strips for a couple of weeks. I couldn't stay away from coffee that long!

 

Thanks for your input.

 

Agree, I can't either. What I do with coffee on the MetroNorth and from Starbucks is to drink it through a straw - strange but it does keep the coffee pretty much off your teeth. Definitely cannot do that with red wine though.