Guess sometimes basic really is better...
Totally relate to this. The more “advanced” the toothpaste claims, the more my gums seem to protest. Baking soda’s old-school but it just works—plus, less mystery ingredients. Funny thing about peroxide in whitening stuff—it’s basically the same stuff in hair bleach, just way more diluted. Makes me wonder if we’re all just bleaching our smiles, one brush at a time. I’ll stick with simple most days... my mouth thanks me.
Makes me wonder if we’re all just bleaching our smiles, one brush at a time. I’ll stick with simple most days... my mouth thanks me.
I get what you mean. I’ve always been nervous about using whitening stuff, especially after I learned it’s similar to hair bleach. My dentist said the peroxide in toothpaste is way less concentrated, but I still feel weird about it. I tried a “whitening” toothpaste once and my gums got sore—never again. Back to basic mint for me.
That’s interesting—my dentist showed me the whitening gel once, and just seeing the ingredient list made me anxious. I’ve always wondered if “gentle” whitening toothpastes are actually that much safer or if it’s just clever marketing. Has anyone had luck with those strips or pens, or do they still cause sensitivity?
Totally relate to the ingredient anxiety—my first thought was, “Wait, this is basically what I use to clean my bathroom?” I’ve tried those so-called gentle toothpastes and honestly, they’re a little less harsh but didn’t do much for actual whitening. The strips definitely work faster but yeah, my teeth felt like they were getting zapped every time I had ice cream for a week after. Pens were hit or miss… mostly just made me drool and look ridiculous.
My kid’s dentist mentioned the peroxide thing and I was kind of shocked too—hard not to worry when it’s the same stuff in hair dye. We tried one of those “gentle” whitening pastes for my daughter, but honestly, didn’t notice much difference. She’s got sensitive teeth, so strips were a no-go. Even the pens were messy and just made her gums sore. I stick with regular toothpaste now... less drama, fewer complaints.
