MetaChat - Ask MeCha:

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

27 April 2010

Ask MeCha: inconsequential questions.→[More:]

Hey, how come both my teeth-whitening strips and my flouride rinse say it's best to use them when my teeth aren't freshly brushed? I mean, wouldn't you think you'd want all the plaque off your teeth to allow for full whitening/flouride power? What gives?

post by: Specklet at: 09:52 | 13 comments

(Speculational answers:) I've heard that whitening strips are hard on the enamel, so maybe brushing and then whitening would be super-hard on the enamel? That doesn't really explain the fluoride thing, though, since I thought fluoride was supposed to strengthen enamel.

posted by occhiblu 27 April | 09:57

Combining those products might cause your mouth to explode. Seriously.
Not seriously.

posted by Atom Eyes 27 April | 10:05

Maybe the results are more dramatic if you put them on dirty teeth rather than clean teeth?

posted by amro 27 April | 10:32

Why don't teeth-whitening strips cover all of your teeth?

posted by iconomy 27 April | 10:35

Dang lady, how wide is your smile?

posted by Specklet 27 April | 10:52

Tiny! All dentists complain about how small my mouth is. Yet the strips never cover all of my teeth. Surely I can't be the only one?

posted by iconomy 27 April | 11:30

They only cover the front teeth. I guess the logic is that no one's really looking at the rest of your teeth.

posted by amro 27 April | 11:33

Yeah, what amro said.

I still have no answer, bunnies. Google is no help, either. I guess I could write a letter to the fluoride rinse people...

posted by Specklet 27 April | 11:52

My best guess as the daughter of a dentist is that it has something to do w/ teeth sensitivity--whitening products are known to make teeth more sensitive. But I didn't ask my dad so don't take my word as gospel.

posted by leesh 27 April | 12:55

Don't teeth whitening things have peroxide in them? Then I'm guessing it's the same reason you bleach unwashed hair blond. Peroxide is really harsh and some dirt will buffer this.

posted by dabitch 27 April | 15:34

Atom Eyes wasn't kidding.

≡ Click to see image ≡

Yes, he was.

posted by Kronos_to_Earth 27 April | 21:02

OK, I just noticed how that looks on the page without 'images on'. It's alright to click.

posted by Kronos_to_Earth 27 April | 21:14

I'm with iconomy. I have a small mouth and don't smile very wide (most of the time), but those strips do not cover all the teeth my smile exposes. So I gave up on those. I just use a whitening toothpaste (Arm & Hammer) that does pretty good at keeping my teeth white in spite of the litres of diet cola I drink every day.

posted by deborah 27 April | 21:56

← "Cleanflix" || How do you handle criticism? Ramble →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN