I've heard about the baking soda trick too, but honestly, I'm always a little nervous to try it because of the abrasiveness you mentioned. Like, how often is "once in a while"? Once a week, twice a month...? I never know if I'm being overly cautious or if there's an actual guideline to follow. Also, does anyone know if mixing it with toothpaste makes it less harsh, or is that just wishful thinking on my part? I've seen some people swear by activated charcoal toothpaste as well, but then others say it's even more abrasive than baking soda. Teeth whitening feels like such a balancing act sometimes...
I've actually tried mixing baking soda with toothpaste, and it did feel gentler to me... but honestly, everyone's teeth sensitivity is different. Activated charcoal was way too harsh for mine. Maybe try a whitening mouthwash instead—less abrasive and still gives a subtle brightening effect.
"Activated charcoal was way too harsh for mine."
Same here, charcoal left my son's teeth feeling super sensitive. Honestly, we've had better luck with oil pulling using coconut oil—sounds weird, I know, but it gently brightens overnight without irritation... might be worth a shot?
Charcoal was rough for me too, made my gums feel raw and uncomfortable. Tried oil pulling a couple times, but honestly couldn't handle the texture of coconut oil in my mouth for that long... just felt weird and slimy. Maybe that's just me though.
One thing that did help was brushing gently with baking soda mixed into toothpaste—just a tiny bit. Didn't irritate my gums or make my teeth sensitive, and I noticed a slight difference by morning. Nothing dramatic, but definitely brighter. Still cautious about using it too often though, heard mixed things about enamel wear if you overdo it.
Has anyone tried those whitening strips overnight? I'm hesitant since my teeth seem sensitive to everything lately, but curious if they're gentler than charcoal or not...
Honestly, I'd steer clear of overnight strips if your teeth are already sensitive. Tried them once and woke up with super achy teeth... Maybe try a sensitive whitening toothpaste instead? Slower results, but way gentler in my experience.
