What is a good over the counter teeth whitener
I tried Crest Whitestrips (14days) but it didn't get my teeth as white as I thought it would.
Answer:I don't think you can get a higher whitening content than Crest White Strips Premium, which is 10% hydrogen peroxide, over the counter. I believe the 14-day strips have 6.5%. Your dentist can give you White Strips Professional, which is 14%, but only after an exam to make sure your teeth are healthy enough to use it.
Chewing on crunchy foods like carrots, apples and celery, is said to cause friction which helps get debris off your teeth that can stain them. There are many old natural remedies and some new natural and/or herbal products, as well as, some chemical products, all claiming to whiten teeth.
The color of teeth comes from genetics originally, and it varies person to person. Teeth will natually discolor over time due to age. The best way to keep teeth as white and you were designed to have, is to avoid foods, liquids, drugs, and products that stain teeth.
Avoid things known to stain teeth, like coffee, tea, red wine, berries, tobacco products, food colorings, etc.... Avoid direct exposure to a lot of raw lemons or citrus products like tomatos, limes, oranges, as the citric acid wears the enamel off the teeth, and when dentin is exposed (like with cavities), it can cause discoloration. If you do eat them, rinse your teeth right away. Avoid carbonated drinks that contain phosphoric acid, like coca cola for the same reason. Sports drinks often contain citric acid, phosphoric acid and organic acid (coffee contains organic acids, also). The latter two are known to break down calcium, along with breaking down enamel. Also, If you eat raw papaya or raw pineapple, rinse your mouth after eating them, as they have enzymes that can cause sores in your mouth and gums, because they break down proteins.