Teeth Bleaching: Is It For You?

Teeth bleaching might sound a little odd, but when it's done properly it's one of the best cosmetic treatments for cleaning and whitening your teeth. Bleaching teeth can be done by a dental hygienist or a dentist, but some procedures are easily done at home. Home dental bleaching procedures use either gels or strips to apply the bleaching compounds, which most often consist of carbamide or hydrogen peroxide (not the stuff you use for whitening your clothes, thank goodness!)

Do-it-yourself tooth whitening

Tooth-whitening products can be applied in several different ways. Of course, there are the strips (like those made by Oral B and Crest) that you more or less apply and forget. Some gels you can apply by brushing on; others you put it a plastic tray designed to fit over your teeth. You then wear the trays over your teeth for hours a day - preferably during the night.

Safe, effective treatment

There are plenty of cosmetic tooth whitening procedures, but these days, bleaching procedures are some of the simplest and most cost-effective. If you prefer dental work, you can go for veneering or even caps - if you want to pay thousands of dollars. Some dental procedures mix the methods: the Zoom whitening system uses a peroxide-based gel that's activated by a laser light. In the end, the home gels and strips are the least expensive. Even better, you don't have to sit for hours in a dentist's chair - and you don't get zapped in the mouth.

• For more information about bleaching teeth,
  Please visit our Buyers Guide