Insider Guide.(Tooth bleaching)

Insider's Guide

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How to Whiten Teeth at Home

By Jeff Morley Morley, a cosmetic-dentistry expert based in San Francisco, has been bleaching teeth for 25 years. Drugstore products make fantastic claims, like promising to "Whiten Teeth 14 Shades!!!" Well, the scales we use at the dentist's office only have five or six shades. If your expectations are reasonable, you may be happy. If not, you can see your dentist for a stronger prescription whitening, knowing you tried the least expensive option first. * Know the limits. Studies have shown that yellow and brownish discolorations (most often from coffee, tea, red wine, and cigarettes) respond to tooth whiteners best. Gray tones (from childhood antibiotic use or exposure to metallic compounds) are more stubborn and should probably be treated by a dentist. The same goes for teeth with striped discolorations or white spots -- home bleaching can be uneven, or even make the contrast worse. * Choose wisely. Check labels, and get the highest concentration of carbamine or carbamide peroxide you can find, if the percentage is listed on the label. Drugstore whiteners tend to contain around 3 to 10 percent of the ingredient, compared with in-office bleaches, ...