Many teeth whitening systems and products are available, including whitening toothpastes, over-the-counter gels, rinses, strips, trays, and whitening products obtained from a dentist.

Teeth whitening is ideal for people who have healthy, unrestored teeth (no fillings) and gums. Individuals with yellow tones to their teeth respond best. But this cosmetic procedure is not recommended for everyone.

Advantages

Bleaching can help patients through:
• When people have a brighter smile, they tend to smile more often and are less self-conscious.
• A whiter smile tends to minimize the appearance of facial wrinkles, giving way to a more youthful and energetic appearance.
• It gives people to whom you are speaking a place to focus on and gives you a friendlier appearance.

Importanr Information

Among the newest whitening products available are whitening rinses. Like most mouthwashes, they freshen breath and help reduce dental plaque and gum disease. But these products also include ingredients, such as hydrogen peroxide, which whiten teeth. Manufacturers say it may take 12 weeks to see results. You just swish them around in your mouth for 60 seconds twice a day before brushing your teeth. However, some experts say that rinses may not be as effective as other over-the-counter whitening products. Because a whitening rinse is only in contact with the teeth for such a short time -- just two minutes a day compared to 30 minutes for many strips -- it may have less of an effect.

Tray-based tooth whitening systems, purchased either over-the-counter or from a dentist, involve filling a mouth guard-like tray with a gel whitening solution -- which contains a peroxide-bleaching agent. The tray is worn for a period of time, generally from a couple of hours a day to every day during the night for up to four weeks and even longer.