"Maybe try brushing gently with baking soda instead? Works wonders for me."
Yeah, baking soda's pretty effective—I second that. I tried it a while back when I had braces and coffee stains started becoming a real issue. But honestly, you gotta be careful with it... too often or too aggressively, and it can mess with your enamel. I learned that the hard way after overdoing it for a week or two—ended up with sensitive teeth for days.
If you're looking for something quick and gentle, what worked best for me was just brushing lightly with a whitening toothpaste before bed and then rinsing with plain water. Avoiding anything too harsh overnight definitely helps keep the dryness at bay, like you mentioned about alcohol-based mouthwashes. Waking up with a dry mouth is no joke, trust me.
Baking soda does work well for surface stains, but honestly, I found it's not always the best quick fix overnight. When I had a wedding to attend last minute, I tried oil pulling with coconut oil—just swishing it around for about 10-15 mins. Sounds kinda weird, I know, but it noticeably brightened my teeth by morning without any sensitivity issues. Might be worth a shot if your teeth are sensitive or you're worried about enamel damage...
I've heard a lot about oil pulling too, but honestly, I tried it once before a friend's engagement party and didn't notice much difference. Maybe I didn't swish long enough, or maybe my stains were just stubborn, haha. Personally, whitening strips have worked better for me overnight—though they do make my teeth feel a bit sensitive afterward...guess it's always a trade-off. Might give the coconut oil another shot though, if you say it helped you that quickly.
I've tried oil pulling myself a few times, and honestly, I think it's more hype than anything else. Sure, it might help a bit with surface stains if you're consistent, but for quick results overnight? Doubtful. Whitening strips definitely work faster, but yeah, sensitivity is a real pain afterward. Have you ever tried brushing gently with baking soda paste? It's an old-school trick my dentist recommended years ago—worked surprisingly well for me without the sensitivity issues. Curious if anyone else has had luck with that method...
I get what you're saying about oil pulling, but honestly, I wouldn't dismiss it completely. I started doing it a couple years ago—not every day, just whenever I remembered—and after a few weeks, I did notice my teeth looking brighter. Definitely not an overnight miracle, though, you're right about that.
Funny you mentioned baking soda paste. My grandma swore by it, and I tried it a few times myself. It did help a bit, but I found it a little harsh on my gums, even brushing gently. Maybe I was using too much or something...who knows?
One thing I've had surprising luck with is activated charcoal powder. It sounds weird and looks even weirder (seriously, your mouth turns pitch black for a minute), but it genuinely gave me noticeable results pretty quickly without sensitivity. I don't know if it's just me, but it might be worth a shot if you're looking for something gentle yet effective.
