All of us want to look good, don’t we? Teeth are an integral part of our looks. While a set of beautiful teeth can be your pride, yellow or dirty teeth can be a source of constant embarrassment. Those with nice round white teeth have no reservations about flaunting their assets. They flash it at every given opportunity while the less fortunate ones look on in despair. So what do you do if you belong to the latter group? Well you can either live with it or do something about it. Teeth whitening is a very good way of getting rid of all that unwanted yellow or brown color accumulated on your teeth.

Teeth whitening essentially involve bleaching your teeth. Bleaching dissolves and removes the uppermost layer of tooth and leaves behind whiter teeth. Once you get your teeth bleached you are ready to take on the world. With whiter teeth you feel more confident and better looking. To get your teeth whitened you can either go to a dentist or do it yourself at home. Going to a dentist is a better option because the dentist knows exactly what you need. Teeth whitening procedure involves applying hydrogen peroxide gel to the teeth. It helps get rid of all the plack and dirt and makes your teeth shiny white. A patient may have to undergo several applications of hydrogen peroxide gel to get the desired results.

If you cannot go to a dentist then you can buy ‘to be used at home teeth whitening kits’ at any chemist’s store. These kits also make use of hydrogen peroxide gel but the concentration of the chemical is low. Home kits are good for those who want to make their teeth two to three shades lighter. If you have yellow teeth then home kits may be good for you but if your teeth have taken a brownish or grayish color then home kits may not be of much use. You will have to see a dentist. Home kits come very cheap when compared to getting treated by a dentist.

Here are some of the ‘for home use’ teeth whitening kits. Whitening toothpastes have chemicals and abrasives that keep your teeth from becoming yellow. They cannot remove dark stains. Teeth whitening gels are transparent gels that when applied to the teeth helps remove yellowish attains from your teeth. They contain a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide and show their effects in just a few days time. Teeth whitening strips are thin transparent strips covered with bleaching gel that helps whiten your teeth. They have to be used continuously over a period of one to two weeks to get the desired results.

However there are certain cases where the opinion of a dentist is recommended before you do anything to your teeth. If you have caps or crowns on your front teeth then simply teeth whitening would not be very effective. If you have gum problems or cavities in your teeth or thin enamel then teeth whitening is not recommended. Dark stains in teeth cannot be removed by teeth whitening. For those with problems of severe discoloration of teeth, laser teeth whitening is the most effective method and produces instant results. Laser Whitening of teeth is also the most expensive method of teeth whitening.