There are many products on the market to help you whiten your teeth. What options to consider may depend on your budget, teeth health, teeth thickness, and type of staining. Teeth whitening methods can cost a few dollars or several hundred. A person's teeth may be weakened or thin which may affect what methods may be best. Yellow stains are easiest to remove. Brown or gray stains are more difficult since they are usually more deeply set into the enamel.
Many products are available at the grocery or drug store. These include toothpastes, mouthwashes, and teeth bleaching kits. Toothpastes and mouthwashes take a much longer time to see results than bleaching kits, however these kits are a greater investment upfront. For people with mild staining, toothpastes and mouthwashes may be sufficient.
For people with deeper staining, bleaching may achieve the most desirable results in the shortest amount of time. Teeth bleaching kits can be purchased at the store, on-line, or through a dentist. Teeth can be bleached in the office by a dental professional or at a beauty spa. This method involves a plastic tray with peroxide gel that is placed on the teeth. This may need to be planned in advance as some procedures include taking an impression of your teeth so that a tray exactly matching your smile can be created. In some cases, the gel is applied directly to the teeth and a laser or light is used to activate the gel. This method can yield results in as little as an hour but generally tends to be the most expensive. A dentist can do this procedure in-office or can send you home with a kit. A take-home kit will cost less but will take a slightly longer time to show results because of the gel's reduced potency.
A nice median are at-home bleaching kits. The most readily available drugstore kits are in the form of a gelled plastic sheath. This sheath is pressed onto the teeth and kept on for 15 to 30 minutes. Other kits include a plastic tray and peroxide gel. The gel is applied to the tray and is worn anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. These trays have an advantage over the sheaths, which are more likely to move around in the mouth.
Please do your research and pick what method works best for you. For many, at-home bleaching is the best choice to see fast results and are well within most peoples' budgets. This method can be repeated a few times a year and may be supplemented with whitening toothpastes and mouthwash to maintain the whiteness.
