Steps to a whiter teeth

You see the makeovers on TV and figure, at least I can handle the tooth whitening thing. Price wise and accessibility make this procedure more and more popular. But whether you do it at home or at the dentist, manage your expectations.  We are talking stain removal on your teeth via some bleach that will dissolve the material that’s causing the stain. So how successful the bleaching is depends on the kind of stain.

If you want a whiter mouth, first start by quitting smoking, cut back on your red wine and coffee imbibing and keep your regular cleaning appointments at the dentist for the standard cleaning.  OK, you’ve done all that and they aren’t at the blindingly white stage you were hoping for.

If you go the diy route, you have the option of brush on, strips (Procter & Gamble's Crest-brand Whitestrips), or bleaching trays. These products will do an OK job, they are cheap (comparatively speaking) and convenient. But if you don’t want to wait a few weeks to see results, consider a professional whitening. You’ll pay at least ten times the cost of Whitestrips on up to $1,000 but there’s less sensitivity. Keep in mind that discoloration that is not yellow is best eradicated in the dentist office.

If you expect brown teeth to turn up white, you might be better off with veneers or a product called Lumineers, which are porcelain covers that don’t require painful caps…costly but oh so pretty.