Has anyone else heard that...

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#1 Post by **skintz** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:08 am

...brushing your teeth with warm water instead of cold, keeps them white? My sister's boyfriend has naturally got really white teeth, and his dentist asked if he brushed his teeth with cold or warm water, and when he said warm, the dentist said "ah, i thought so". Anyone else heard this/do this? Or got any information as to why this would help keep teeth white?

#2 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:01 am

Never heard that one. I always use warm water as cold water makes my teeth jump too much, and I haven't got white teeth

#3 Post by **TheNewEmperor** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:01 am

I don't believe it. I tend to think the answer is more as per your first sentence, 'has naturally got really white teeth'...the colour of teeth is fairly genetic....think of the osmonds with their gleaming gnashers...and I doubt washing with warm or cold water makes a difference.

Having said that, my periodontist told me to use hot water (which I do anyway) when I brush as it softens the bristles of my toothbrush which will ensure I don't erode my gum line (I've had to have gum grafts as I naturally scrub away at my gum line, I'm hoping I've stopped that habit now!).

#4 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:49 pm

#5 Post by **skintz** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 2:18 am

Ah poop....thought i was onto something there!!

#6 Post by **cosmicgirl** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:48 am

The New Emperor -

what are gum grafts???!! they sound terrifying! yet another thing for me to worry about....!

#7 Post by **TheNewEmperor** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:43 am

Don't worry...I'm sure you won't need a gum graft!!!! but if you do....here's the scoop:

due to my bad bite and bad habit of scrubbing my teeth I eroded away my gum line...so the bit of the tooth that sits under the gum was exposed...the main effect of this is tooth sensitivity so my dentist sent me to a periodentist who took donor tissue (yep, I've got some dead guy's tissue in my mouth!) and stitched it to my own gums. It sounds horrendous but, thanks to valium, it was a relatively painless procedure and recovery was incredibly quick.

There is another way of doing gum graft though which is much more painful...they harvest your own tissue from the top of your mouth.

#8 Post by **cosmicgirl** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:26 am

#9 Post by **cosmicgirl** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:35 am

Well, you learn something new every day! What a procedure - poor you.

Gum erosion is something that niggles at the back of my mind, especially now that I have the dreaded "black triangles" AND sensitive teeth!!

#10 Post by **jennielee81** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:37 pm

My teeth have always been naturally white. I asked my dentist about whitening (when that first came out) and she said, "for what? You would have teeth like chalk if I did that."

I've always used cold water with whitening tooth paste.

I drink coffee, iced tea (by the gallon) and eat curry.

I think it's genetics with, perhaps, some anecdotal evidence involved.

Use the temp water that you like. When the braces come off, you can whiten with Crest Strips and be as white as you want!