A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:I hate my smile. I dont naturally smile with my teeth anyway, but if I laugh you can see them. My face looks horrible when I smile/laugh but looks fine when I haven't got any expression. My teeth are horrible, they are yellow and discoloured, my enamel is very worn and my dentist makes me feel terrible about it. I have tried SO hard to get my teeth healthy again, and now they are, I look after them really well. I have tried talking to my dentist about getting teeth whitening but she wont do it, she insists on giving me veneers. I cant afford veneers, i'd have to get them done one at a time over the course of like my whole lifetime, and veneers need replacing! I just dont know what to do, i'm so embarassed around people, and I feel like i'll never get a boyfriend because of how my smile looks. Teeth whitening toothpastes dont work, I can't risk damaging the enamel anymore with whitening strips etc.Does anyone else have this problem with their smile? Reply to this Question
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (1 February 2012): I want to thank you all for giving me such positive advice. I do think it is true that I have an unrealistic view of my teeth, I have been assured by many people that they look fine and they look at me confused when I say about how horrible they appear to me. I don't want to rush into anything, especially something like veneers, so the only thing I can do is be okay with them.
A
female
reader, armyofme +, writes (31 January 2012):
It's definitely not advisable to use teeth bleaching products if the enamel is damaged - this is because the solution will penetrate into and cause harm to the inner structures of the tooth. It will also deepen any existing cavities in the teeth. Definitely not worth it!
The bleaching trays, that is, at least. I don't know whether this would apply to the crest whitening strips but I'd not do anything without checking with your dentist.
I can also understand you not wanting to have vaneers fitted, that's a big lifetime commitment and it is very expensive - about £200 even if they'll do it on the NHS.
I think baking soda is excellent advice.. it won't give you miraculous results but it will make your teeth look a little brighter and whiter, and it is very gentle.
I've never heard of the oil pulling technique mentioned here. I can't understand how it would work but if it did that would probably be ideal for you since it's again very gentle.
You'll find it hard to get much whitening results with anything if you smoke or drink a lot of tea or red wine - so if you're in the habit, try to cut it out.
I had quite stained teeth for years, but I quit smoking in the new year and the difference is already incredible.
Good luck!
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A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (30 January 2012): Bleaching your teeth won't harm the enamel but can make the teeth sensitive whilst you're doing the bleaching. Get a dentist to do the bleaching rather than a beautician (in the UK it's actually illegal for anyone but a dentist to do it). Two ways of doing it, either at home where you wear a tray for a couple of hours a day or in surgery where it takes about an hour in the dentists.
If the enamel is damaged you may find that veneers are the only way to go, but get a second or even third opinion. The expensive ones are porcelain, but you can get much cheaper white filling (composite) veneers. Discuss the pro and cons of each option with the dentists.
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A
female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (30 January 2012):
 Have you tried seeing another dentist to get a second opinion, or at least get some alternatives to how to make your teeth whiter?
Then again, have you asked someone other than yourself and your dentist? In most cases we think something looks much worse than others perceive it. Of course your DENTIST will notice if you have discoloured teeth, and you will notice as well since you can stare at your teeth up close in the mirror. But are you sure OTHERS notice? You aren't the only person with less than shiny whites you know. Tons of others have discoloured teeth, mostly from smoking, drinking tea and coffee etc. In most cases the shade of your teeth is genetic, and has little or nothing to do with hygiene or poor care of the teeth.
Lots of people walk around with one or more teeth missing in their smile as well. Yet how often do others care? Not so much. So Im thinking maybe this is one of those cases where you hate your smile, and no one else around you have any idea what you're on about. You probably look just fine and have a great smile. People really don't care as much, nor do they get enough time to stare at your teeth in detail.
It's like when you go to the hair dresser and ask for a straight cut. The hairdresser will be picky at any errors or hairs that are a millimeter too long. But no one else will notice!
So ask someone impartial what they think of your smile.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (30 January 2012): I SWEAR by crest white strips. They are amazing, all it takes is 2 weeks once every 6 months and your teeth get nice and white. They're well worth the money !
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A
female
reader, person12345  +, writes (30 January 2012):
 Unfortunately if your enamel is damaged crowns/veneers are the only thing that will work. They do need to be replaced, but it's not uncommon for people to get 20+ years out of them. Lumineers are a bit cheaper. There are also things call Snap on Smiles that are a heck of a lot cheaper ($1,500-$2,000) and if done well, can look very realistic. You can only see them if you closely inspect the gum line. I've heard really great things about them when they're done by a good dentist.
Most importantly, when talking about cosmetic dentistry, you need to find a GOOD cosmetic dentist. You can't be talking to your regular dentist about this unless they are specially trained. There are tons of horror stories about letting regular dentists do cosmetic dentistry. It's cheaper, but there's no point in getting something cheap done if it makes you look worse.
Unfortunately you're asking for a miracle solution and there just isn't one. Sorry.
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (30 January 2012):
 I don't know what you have over there but here my dentist recommended Crest White Strips.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (30 January 2012): I paid for expensive whitening trays and other products and the only thing that whitened my teeth was a method called oil pulling. You can google it. I found that cold pressed extra virgin olive oil swooshed around my mouth like mouthwash for 20 minutes every day worked wonders. It's hard to do at first but it even got rid of the flouride stains in the back of my molars.
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A
female
reader, MamasLilFlowerChild +, writes (30 January 2012):
Also I would get a second opinion, try a different dentist. Putting you down or making you feel bad is not in a Dentists job description! Also get online and google Dental Associations. You can often speak with a dental professional for free and ask all the same questions. They may know of a program that will help pay/cover dental work! P.S- My friend in high school had the same issue, she was able to get her teeth fixed and it solved lots of problems for her! She was perfect before but because she felt better after, I felt better for her! My point is though its all in your head, and you dont need to feel bad about yourself! Your perfect just the way you are! Good luck!
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