"Definitely agree about charcoal toothpaste though—felt like brushing with sandpaper, lol."
Haha, yes, exactly my experience too. I tried charcoal toothpaste once because it was on sale and everyone seemed to rave about it online. Big mistake. It felt gritty and uncomfortable, and honestly, I didn't see much difference afterward either. Glad I'm not alone in that!
Regarding peroxide, I've always been curious but hesitant—mostly due to cost-effectiveness and potential sensitivity issues. Your diluted ratio of 1 part peroxide to 3 parts water sounds reasonable enough for a first try. Did you notice any immediate results the next day, or was it more gradual? I've tried baking soda before (just mixed with water into a paste), and while it wasn't harsh, the results weren't exactly miraculous overnight either—more subtle brightening over time.
Also, budget-wise, peroxide is pretty inexpensive compared to specialized whitening strips or gels, so that's appealing. Still, my main concern is whether it's something you'd need to do consistently to maintain results or if occasional use is sufficient.
One thing I've personally found helpful (and super budget-friendly) is just being extra mindful about staining foods/drinks the night before an important event. I skip coffee, tea, red wine...basically anything dark-colored after dinner. Then I brush gently with regular toothpaste and floss thoroughly. Might not give dramatic Hollywood-level brightness overnight, but it does noticeably help reduce surface stains by morning without spending extra money or risking sensitivity flare-ups.
Anyway, I appreciate your insight on peroxide; might finally give it a cautious try soon...
I had the same gritty charcoal experience—felt like I was sanding furniture, not brushing teeth, haha. About peroxide, I've used it occasionally (same 1:3 ratio), and honestly, it's subtle but noticeable. Definitely not an overnight miracle, but after a few uses, I could see a difference. Didn't cause sensitivity for me either, thankfully. Still, your tip about avoiding staining foods the night before is probably the easiest hack—cheap and zero risk of tooth pain!
Haha, sanding furniture is exactly how I'd describe my charcoal toothpaste experiment too... gritty and messy, never again. Peroxide's been decent for me as well—nothing dramatic overnight, but after a week or so, I definitely noticed my teeth looking brighter. Glad to hear you didn't get sensitivity either; that's always my worry with whitening stuff.
One thing I've tried that's surprisingly effective is oil pulling with coconut oil. Sounds weird, I know, but after doing it for about 10-15 mins, my teeth felt smoother and looked subtly brighter the next day. Not sure if it's placebo or legit science, but hey, it worked for me. Has anyone else here given oil pulling a shot, or am I alone on this one?
I've tried oil pulling too, and honestly, I'm still on the fence about it. It definitely made my mouth feel cleaner afterward, but I didn't notice any obvious whitening effect... maybe I didn't stick with it long enough? I did find it oddly relaxing though—kind of like a forced meditation session while swishing coconut oil around, haha. Did you notice results right away, or was it more gradual for you?
"It definitely made my mouth feel cleaner afterward, but I didn't notice any obvious whitening effect..."
Yeah, same here—I noticed the clean feeling pretty quickly, but the whitening was definitely more gradual for me. Took about 2-3 weeks of consistent oil pulling before I saw a subtle difference. Honestly, I think it's more about removing surface stains slowly rather than an overnight miracle. Have you tried pairing it with baking soda brushing occasionally? That combo seemed to speed things up a bit for me...
