Review: Aquafresh White Trays

I chose Aquafresh White Trays because my teeth are crowded, especially my lowers, and I didn't think most other products would whiten my entire teeth such that when they straighten out with braces there won't be streaks. But I was unhappy with their dingy color, and I wanted them to be clean and pretty for when my braces went on.

I've now used this product twice, and been very pleased with the results.

Here's what my teeth looked like this summer, before the first round (small, sorry!):



Here's what they look like now, after two rounds (4 months apart):



For a real comparison, look at my lower canine and bicuspid vs. my upper incisors in this pic:



So, I'm pleased. Only my front teeth show and I enjoy seeing my pretty, much whiter smile in the mirror:



The product itself is flexible (kinda flimsy, honestly) trays pre-loaded with a strip of thick whitening gel. You put the trays on your teeth and mush the gel up and around so it covers all the teeth, even in-between. Then you wear them for 30-45 minutes

I still couldn't get good coverage on my lower canines/bicuspids (as seen above) and the very tops of my (long) upper canines didn't get quite as white as the rest. BUT like I said, the teeth that actually show when I smile are *noticeably* whiter and I'm happy with that.

My mom came to visit after the first round, and actually asked me if I'd gone to the dentist to get them bleached. She was very impressed.

There are 14 trays in the box, 7 upper and 7 lower, for an assumed one-week treatment.
However: this product WILL MAKE YOUR TEETH VERY SENSITIVE.

First round I did 7-straight days, and by the end of it my gums were singed and tender, and my teeth ached, and it hurt to brush. BUT within 2-3 days it got better, and I didn't have any further problems.

This time, I did every-other-day over about two weeks and had much less sensitivity. I was able to brush twice a day with my electric toothbrush no problem, and even floss. My teeth might ache slightly the day after a treatment (I did them at night before bed) but nothing really noticeable and it was gone by the end of the day.

So I would recommend this product, just warn about the sensitivity issues and suggest an every-other-day routine. It works well on very crowded teeth or uneven teeth, but not as great on rotated teeth (like my lower canines).

Where have you been all my life? The Oral-B Vitality

Not much going on in my life tooth-wise, other than me enjoying a guilt-free, crunchy, chewy Thanksgiving weekend. I figure by next Thanksgiving I'll be used to the braces enough to get away with most stuff, but I didn't want to be newly-braced and sore for this holiday season. Hence (among other reasons) the wait until January.

In general braces news, I'm giving more thought to asking for a bonded lower retainer at the end of it all, since I just found out my brother and his girlfriend, and presumably my other brother, all have them. Also a friend at church. Makes the most sense, as my bottom teeth are the big issue. But that decision is a long way off.

Today's post is mainly to rave about the new love in my (dental) life: the Oral-B Vitality electric toothbrush.

I vaguely remember a dentist at one point recommending I use an electric toothbrush. My teeth are hard to clean manually, after all. But at the time my mental concept was of the old-style one we had when I was a kid. Basically a toothbrush head that sort-of vibrated. I also thought they meant the uber-expensive models. So I stuck to my regular toothbrush.

Little did I know that I could get a very functional model for only $18, and what a difference it would make!

After recommendations on the ArchWired forum, I decided to go for it and add an electric brush to my dental gadget collection. I wanted to get started now, so that my teeth would be as clean as possible when the braces go on. I researched a few brands, settled on the Oral-B Triumph 9400, asked if the expensive models were worth it, and was advised to get the Vitality to try out. Then if I liked it enough to upgrade, I could keep the Vitality as my backup/travel.

What the heck? I thought. It was only $18. I went for the basic "Precision Clean" model (they also offer "Dual Action" and "Sonic"). And I mean basic. One speed, on or off, plain brush head, and a simple timer mechanism (see below).

This model (also the Dual Action) IS however compatible with all the specialty heads that come with the top-shelf models, so if I do get a fancier one I can in fact switch out the heads and use the Vitality as a backup. Or if not, I can still use the fancy heads on my cheapo model. *w*

It's rechargeable (I gather previous versions were battery-powered) and stores on its unobtrusive charging base so it's always at full power.

An automatic two-minute timer indicates optimum brushing time by "stuttering" (the first time you think the brush is dying). It is possible to keep brushing, and after another two minutes it will "stutter" again. I know this because I'm averaging about 3-4 minutes per brushing right now, due to taking special care to clean around all my crooked teeth. I hope I'm not doing damage by brushing longer, but really I'm only spending a few seconds on each tooth.

The results? Wow.

After the very first time I used it, my teeth felt cleaner than they had in ages. By the second use, I could not contemplate going back to a manual brush. There's just no comparison in the level of clean. It's like when I brush manually, my mouth might taste fresher, but my teeth don't feel any different. With the Vitality, I can tell they're clean. And already I'm noticing some of the stains (caused by my mouthwash? jury's still out...) between my more crooked teeth lightening. I made DH try the brush out, and now he's thinking about getting his own.

I think I'll ask Santa for a Triumph, but if I don't get one I think the Vitality is certainly a welcome step up from my old routine. $18 well spent!