I was trying to save money on teeth whitening. I saw a bunch of great reviews for this whitening kit Luster Premium. I got it and while my teeth did get whiter pretty fast it only lasted a few weeks. Did I do something wrong? Like do I need a special toothpaste for it? I just want an affordable way to get white teeth.
Evan
Dear Evan,
It does not sound like you have done anything wrong. I’ve looked into this whitening kit and I believe the problem you are facing has more to do with their “super whitener” which I would not accurately call a whitener at all. Instead, it uses zinc oxide which is a pigment. It essentially paints your teeth whiter temporarily. I suspect the great reviews you read were from those who noticed the initial whiter color and wrote their review before it had worn off.
While there are a few over the counter whitening kits that do work, such as Crest Whitestrips, you are not likely to save money using them. This is because these kits will not be nearly as strong as the professional teeth whitening that you would get from your dentist. You would have to purchase a LOT of kits to do the same thing that one round of treatment would do with your dentist. That costs you not just money, but time as well— an even more precious commodity.
If you are just worried about the upfront cost of doing it through a dentist, talk to your dentist about that. He or she may be willing to work out a payment plan with you. If not, there are plenty of dentists who keep their prices affordable who will be willing to work with you. I’d recommend going right after having your teeth cleaned so the results will be even.
This blog is brought to you by a gentle dentist in Tulsa, Dr. Ryan Noah.