What's the first thing you notice when you meet someone? For me, it's a person's smile. And lately, I can't help but look at people's teeth. Thanks to the popularity of braces, most of us have straight(ish) teeth. As for white teeth, well, that's another story. Blame it on coffee, cola, and the natural process of aging.
Over the years, I've been on a quest to whiten my teeth. Since my funds are limited, I haven't had the chance to try professional whitening, but I have experimented with many tools on the market.
Whitening Strips
I tried whitening strips during my college years. I don't remember what brand I used, but I do remember the annoying tooth pain and sensitivity I experienced as a result. I'm sure the technology has since changed and improved, but with so many other options out there, I don't foresee going this route again.
Go Smile All Out Deluxe Set
Go Smile specializes in individually packaged whitening capsules. Each capsule contains a whitening solution and a small foam applicator. You rub the applicator on each of your teeth, twice a day for seven days. Each capsule is small and self-contained, so there's no mess or clean up. To supplement the capsules, you brush your teeth with A.M. and P.M. whitening toothpastes. I did experience a little sensitivity during the last few days of my whitening trial, but nothing too painful. Now, my teeth weren't terribly yellow to begin with, but I do think they had more sparkle to them seven days into my experiment.
Whitening Toothpaste
Does this stuff work? After years and years, I still can't tell. That said, I always find myself buying multi-purpose toothpastes that promise to prevent cavities, fight tartar and whiten teeth, all in one shot. From Crest to Colgate and Aquafresh, I've tried them all and one thing's consistent: each product seems to result in very minimal improvement.
Luster Weekend Tooth Whitening System
Luster's kit (which includes mouthwash and a whitening gel and brush) claims to whiten your teeth over the weekend. If you want real results, you're going to have to be patient. Twice a day, you have to rinse your mouth with the mouthwash, paint the gel on each of your teeth, wait and rinse out again. Then you have to wait some more. I found the process to be a bit tedious and since I'm a klutz, I obviously made a mess out of the gel and mouthwash. That said, I did notice that my teeth were a touch whiter after the 3-day period, so it's worth a shot.
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