My ortho actually gave me similar advice—said whitening toothpaste could cause patchiness if it got trapped. I was super careful at first, but eventually used a mild whitening paste now and then...never noticed any uneven spots either. Might depend on how sensitive your teeth are?
My ortho said something similar, but like you, I kinda ignored it after a while, haha. I remember once before a friend's wedding, I panicked and brushed super aggressively with whitening toothpaste thinking my teeth would magically look better overnight (spoiler: they didn't). Luckily no patchiness, but my gums definitely weren't happy with me the next day...lesson learned. I guess moderation really is key, or at least not going full Hulk-mode on your teeth the night before an event.
I've heard moderation is key too, but honestly, whitening toothpaste never really did much for us. My kid tried it before picture day and was pretty disappointed—no noticeable difference at all. Maybe it's more placebo than anything? We've had better luck with baking soda occasionally, though I'm not sure if that's great for enamel either...
"My kid tried it before picture day and was pretty disappointed—no noticeable difference at all."
I completely understand your frustration. I've had similar experiences with whitening toothpaste myself; it seems more marketing hype than actual results sometimes. Baking soda can help occasionally, but you're right to be cautious—my orthodontist warned me that frequent use might wear down enamel over time. I've found that simply limiting staining foods like coffee or berries makes a bigger difference overall...though admittedly, that's easier said than done!
"I've found that simply limiting staining foods like coffee or berries makes a bigger difference overall...though admittedly, that's easier said than done!"
Haha, tell me about it. I tried cutting back on coffee once and lasted exactly two days before caving in. Honestly, I've had better luck with toothpaste hacks that aren't even about whitening. Like, did you know toothpaste can help clear up foggy headlights on your car? My brother showed me this trick last summer—just rub some regular toothpaste on the headlights, let it sit for a minute, then rinse it off. Worked surprisingly well, and way cheaper than those headlight restoration kits.
But back to teeth, I've heard some people swear by activated charcoal toothpaste. Haven't tried it myself yet because I'm a bit skeptical about how abrasive it might be. Has anyone here given charcoal toothpaste a shot? Curious if it's worth the hype or just another trendy gimmick...
