I've tried coconut oil pulling a few times, but honestly, didn't notice much difference for whitening. It did feel soothing though, especially when my gums were irritated after getting braces tightened. Sensitive toothpaste afterward definitely helps with that achy feeling—can confirm. One thing I'd add: watch out for brushing too hard with baking soda...did that once and my gums weren't happy the next day.
Totally agree about the baking soda thing—I learned that lesson the hard way too. My gums were sore for days after scrubbing a bit too enthusiastically, haha.
"Sensitive toothpaste afterward definitely helps with that achy feeling—can confirm."
Yeah, sensitive toothpaste is a lifesaver. Speaking of quick hacks though, anyone ever tried those whitening strips overnight? I've heard mixed things...some say they're great, others say they make their teeth super sensitive. Curious if they're worth it for a quick brightening boost or just hype.
I've tried the overnight whitening strips once or twice...honestly, they did brighten things up noticeably by morning, but yeah, sensitivity was a real issue for me. Drinking cold water felt like torture for about two days afterward, lol. I found shorter sessions (like 30 mins) over multiple days were gentler and still gave decent results. Has anyone tried oil pulling with coconut oil? I've heard mixed reviews and haven't dared yet—sounds kinda messy tbh.
I've been curious about oil pulling too, but honestly the thought of swishing coconut oil around for 20 minutes makes me gag a little, lol. A friend of mine swears by it though—claims her teeth feel smoother and look brighter after a week or two. But yeah, messy is right...she said the first few times she did it, she almost spit it out immediately because of the texture. I haven't dared try yet because I have sensitive gums and I'm paranoid it'll irritate them somehow. Might just stick to shorter whitening strip sessions like you mentioned—less anxiety involved, haha.
I feel you on the coconut oil texture thing, it's definitely... an acquired taste, lol. Have you tried activated charcoal toothpaste yet? It's pretty gentle, even with sensitive gums—I have the same issue and haven't had any irritation so far. Plus, it's budget-friendly compared to whitening strips. Just a heads up though, it does get messy in the sink, but at least you're not swishing oil around for 20 mins, right?
