Dumb. Sometimes I'm pretty dumb.
I used to work in a dental office and the big bonus to me when I got that job was that I'd get a great deal on the kit to whiten my teeth. Eight years later, I still whiten my teeth. I started with the whitener that came in the kit, maybe 15% whitening strength, and now I use 30% strength whitener. Since I'm no longer at the dentist's office, I order online and save the huge mark-up the dentist charges, and continue to use the personal, molded trays. Hearing this, you may think I'm smart, frugal even...
Until I tell you that I use the 30%, which I don't even remember being an option when I started whitening, and I put the trays in and go to bed. You're supposed to wear them for 30-60 minutes at a time. I usually go 4-5 hours before I wake up to take them out. There's a noticeable difference in the morning, both in whiteness, and sensitivity. The whitening agent in the gel is hydrogen peroxide and as it whitens it also dehydrates teeth. Dehydration causes sensitivity to hot, cold, sweets...oh yeah, and breathing! And I know this, but somehow on the night before the pain when I prepare to put the trays in, it doesn't matter.
Someone said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. Either I'm crazy, or dumb.
And then I wonder how many times I make this same decision, going for fast and easy and getting painful results, instead of slow and steady winning the race.
So, that's all. My teeth hurt today, they are nice and white though, and I'll probably do it again. Dumb.
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