Bedazzle my smile!

April 6, 2011 8:48 PM

I have the special trays already. What teeth whitening goo should I buy online to put in them?

I don't have any fillings, and I had the whitening trays made a few years ago. It seems to me that when I priced the Opalescence system around 2007, it was way, way cheaper online than from my dentist. But is there a better goo for whitening that I should purchase? Also, any recommendations on strengths? A corresponding fluoride gel to go along with the treatment so that my teeth don't start forecasting the weather due to sensitivity? Anything I've missed?

posted by Addlepated to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

Best answer: I've always just used 35% Carbamide Peroxide. Safe and effective strength. It shouldn't make your teeth extra sensitive. I always wear the trays for 30minutes instead of 15 as well. Only thing I'd recommend is to remember to apply the gel in dots on the center of each tooth in the tray and not just squirt gel through the crack.

They have auctions on eBay for 10 tubes of what I listed above for $20. I'm pretty sure that would be more than enough for a very long time.
posted by zephyr_words at 9:38 PM on April 6, 2011

This is exactly the brand and strength that my dentist gave me after I had the one hour Zoom whitening in his office. I have bought it from Amazon and it is vastly cheaper than if I were to buy more from my dentist. The 22% means that you just have to do it for an hour, which is very doable.
posted by la petite marie at 9:39 PM on April 6, 2011

Best answer: One other thing I would say is to make sure that you know the expiration date of the gel. By the time I got to the last syringe of gel that my dentist had given me, it was way too dry to use, so if you can, just buy as much as you think you will use before the expiration date.
posted by la petite marie at 9:42 PM on April 6, 2011

I have very sensitive teeth and did some research on which brand would cause the least pain. Turns out, it was the same stuff that I was already getting from my doctor – Opalescence PF. It comes in various strengths, and the only one I can tolerate is 15% (and I've been using Sensodyne toothpaste for years), but you might be able to use higher concentrations. It's widely available online, and it works well for me.
posted by halogen at 9:56 PM on April 6, 2011

Gly-Oxide (10% carbamide peroxide) mouth antiseptic is your friend. It's not a gel but a liquid, but it can be used in teeth trays or as a "toothpaste" for whitening purposes. Can be found in drugstores (sometimes) and easily procured online.

Note: in case of emergency earwax removal drops should work (6.5% carbamide peroxide).
posted by french films about trains at 7:19 AM on April 7, 2011

Best answer: Seconding the 35% carbamide peroxide. I just got this a few days ago and it's been good so far. The trays aren't the best ever (they didn't mold to my teeth amazingly well, but they did fine). The price is right, the shipping was quick and the whitening seems to be working.
posted by mrfuga0 at 8:17 AM on April 7, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks, guys - I ordered this from Amazon since I have a Prime membership and it has the shade card and the remineralization gel in the kit.

I'd always been nervous about using the high concentration goo, but it seems like quite a few have had good results and it's a drag sleeping with the trays in anyway, so I'll give it a shot!
posted by Addlepated at 10:06 AM on April 7, 2011