Do vampires dream of electric teeth?
It's been about three months since my last update on the teeth whitening experiment. This experiment is my attempt to find safe ways to whiten my teeth and keep gums from receding. Given that I drink copious amounts of green tea and coffee daily, the whitening part has proven rather challenging.
For those who haven't been following the blog for very long, here's a quick recap. The first toothpaste I tried was Beverly Hills Formula Natural White, which I found in a grocery store while abroad. On paper, this toothpaste had all the good stuff – including coenzyme Q10 and green tea extract – but I didn't really see any real results. For the next few months I turned to Colgate Sensation White with its "micro-cleaning crystals". Again, no visible whitening of the teeth.
After Colgate it was time to try an ordinary store brand. The product I tried contained a combination of hydrated silica and triglycerides, which were supposed to work together to remove plaque and whiten the teeth. Granted, my teeth didn't get any more discolored despite all that tea, coffee, dark chocolate, and turmeric, but still, they didn't get any whiter either.
So now, after discovering that none of these whitening toothpastes seem to have any real whitening effect, I've brought out the big guns. Or at least slightly bigger than those pathetic toothpastes. This product is called Plus White 5 Minute Bleach Whitening Gel (for sensitive teeth), which is not a toothpaste per se but a gel that you leave on the teeth for a few minutes.
The whitening effect of this gel is based on hydrogen peroxide, a common ingredient in DIY teeth whitening products, and best of all, a substance actually proven to whiten teeth. You could probably make a very similar gel at home if you got your hands on some hydrogen peroxide, but I took the easy way and ordered the product online (since they don't sell Plus White in Europe, at least not in Finland). With international shipping it was a bit costly, but if you live in the US, you can get this stuff for a few dollars in several retail stores.
The instructions say to apply the gel on the teeth twice a day and leave it on for five minutes. After two weeks of use, you can start applying it less often. I'm going to start by applying it once a day to track any possible whitening effects more carefully. I'll probably be too lazy to take pictures, though, as it's a hassle to get the lighting right to make any worthwhile comparisons of tooth color. But rest assured, once I see results (or once I run out of the stuff), you'll be the first to know.
I have to say this is the first teeth whitening product that I actually expect to work. But then, I've seen absolutely no effect from so many supplements I've experimented with that I won't be too surprised if it doesn't. I'm just worried that if this doesn't work, the next step is going be an expensive visit to the dentist.
For more information on oral health, see these posts:
Tea, Coffee and Cocoa: All Good for Your Teeth
Dental Health Effects of Green and Black Tea
The Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Oral Health
Preventing Mouth Ulcers with Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste - Results after Two Months
sorry this is off-topic, but since I realize how difficult it can be to see past comments on Blogger, this may be the only way for my question to be seen.
ReplyDeleteWhich in your opinion probably has the greatest effect on lifespan:
calorie restriction per se,
methionine restriction,
insulin per se,
carbohydrate restriction?
Thank you.
@MCT,
ReplyDeleteI get a notification in my email for every comment, so I see them for older posts too :)
My bet is calorie restriction, but who knows. If we're talking about humans, methionine restriction is for the moment out of the question, because it's just not feasible. I can't remember off the top of my head whether CR and MR affect the same health markers, but I think CR has a bigger effect.
Given that there is some truth to the old joke "food is toxic", at least CR covers that basis pretty well. It may be that CR works mainly through a single mechanism, but as far as I know, so far every attempt to fully emulate CR by restricting a single dietary component (be it fat, protein, carbohydrates, or a single amino acid) has failed.
But then, different versions of CR (as in macronutrient ratios) probably have different effects. I haven't seen any studies directly comparing these, though.
- JLL
I don't know if you've read through these yet, but what's your take on the following?
ReplyDeletecarbohydrate
fat
protein,
which calories? article
@Webster,
ReplyDeleteHadn't read those studies, thanks for posting them.
I'm not entirely sure what to make of all this. The protein restriction angle seems to indicate that either the "less growth, more longevity" idea has merit or that autophagy is the key:
Slowing Down Aging with Intermittent Protein Restriction
On the other hand, I recall seeing studies where CR rodents fed adequate protein lived longer than CR rodents fed less protein. I'll try to find the abstracts. It seems odd that restricting lipids or carbs alone would have no effect on lifespan but restricting both would increase lifespan.
In any case, carbohydrate restriction and lipid restriction don't necessarily have the same effects in humans and rodents because of our different dietary past. Rodents seem to tolerate carbs better and (saturated) fat less than humans.
Any results from this experiment?
ReplyDeletethanks,
Joan
@Joan,
ReplyDeleteI think I notice some whitening after using the gel. I've now had a break from using the product to see what happens, and coffee/tea drinking seems to negate the benefits pretty quickly, though. The next thing I'll try is to see whether longer term use will have a longer lasting effect.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI found this blog by googling "green tea 3 cups"
and I'm enjoying perusing it. I can't find any "About Me" section. Do you have a bio?
Thanks. I've bookmarked you and look forward to reading your blog.
By the way, the reason that I googled green tea in the first place was that I was wondering if for the benefits, you need to use a new tea bag each time in the 3 - 4 cups/day?
Thanks,
www.dorijenn.com
@dori,
ReplyDeleteTo imitate the studies that have fed subjects with x cups of green tea, you would need to use a new bag every time, yes.
But I think that in studies that have looked at large populations, such as this one, the 10 cups does not mean the same thing as 10 tea bags. In countries where green tea consumption is common, it's also common to use the same tea leaves 3-4 times. This gives it a less bitter taste, but also a lower amount of catechins than using fresh leaves every time.
From what I've see, none of them use tea bags, however -- loose leaf tea is where it's at.
Oh, I almost forgot:
ReplyDeleteI don't have an "About me" section -- I have enough problems with the Finnish customs as it is. I feel it's my own decision if I wish to experiment on myself, but alas, the government and the EU don't agree with me... hence the anonymity.
Thanks for your reply.
ReplyDeleteDori
crest White strips work really well 30 quid - wear for 30 mins a day - worked a treat for m. You can buy them from amazon.
ReplyDeleteI like this product better than Crest White Strips:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/New-Natural-White-Tooth-Whitening/dp/B000JJZY4E/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1268395679&sr=8-14-spell
Much, much cheaper than the professional versions, and just as effective if you are patient and mold the mouth guards correctly (and buying two so that you try again isn't a bad idea).
is there already a result for the teeth whitening experiment? Anyways the best that you can do is to avoid taking sodas, coffee and cigar cause these are just some of the cause of having a bad teeth.
ReplyDeleteTeeth whitening is an easy task but maintaining the whiteness of the teeth is quite tricky.
ReplyDeleteGood experiment,
ReplyDeleteAny results from this one?
Hi,
ReplyDeleteHow about drinking your green tea/ black tea / coffee through a straw to reduce contact with your teeth? It may prevent stains. I always keep a few straws in my purse and drink my wine this way. I don't care if it looks silly! Haha.
Great blog by the way, I've learnt so much useful information which I can apply to my everyday life. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences.
Cool article. You should talk to your dentist, though, before making large changes in your oral hygiene routine.
ReplyDeleteHey. I live in europe too (Denmark) and I would LOVE to own this product. I've searched everywhere but I can't seem to find a place where they'll ship it to my country..... where did you get yours?
ReplyDeleteStraws for staining drinks is really helpful imo. About the five min whitening gel- five minutes is actually the minum time to leave it on. That's when it starts working. So you'll get better results if you leave it on longer. Imo its pretty effective particularly if you combine it with using activated charcoal from time to time.
ReplyDeleteat this very moment im usig plus white five minute bleaching gel, i have no mouth guards and i know there is no real evidence that led lights help lighten the product but i've one in me mouth and its better than using mouth trays as it keeps your lips from your teeth, now im not gona believe all that bollox saying leave it on for 5 mins, i've had it on now for about half an hour and i will leave it on for an hour as it has the same amount of hydrogen peroxide as they claim dentists use, i find the strips are crap, my teeth are not stained as i dont drink tea or coffee but i do want them to look whiter, if this works il do a backflip, which will be impossible as I'm a lazy bitch, anyway il do this whitening shit all different ways and if i find a way that works, i'll let yous know, cheers
ReplyDelete