Almost everyone wants a bright, white smile. For this reason, many people spend money and time to address the stains that have marred their “perfect” smile. To achieve a white smile, people can visit their dentist for a professional cleaning (for a professional price) or buy the do-it-yourself tooth whitening kit at any local pharmacy.

There are two chemicals typically used to whiten teeth: Hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. The difference between the two is the potency and power of the chemicals when applied to the teeth.The use of the stronger hydrogen peroxide gel needs to be monitored and is normally used by dentists. The “at-home” kits, feature the lower concentration carbamide gel product.Patients have to use the carbamide gel over a longer period of time than the hydrogen peroxide treatment administered by the dentist. How do our teeth get stained? Many people don’t engaged in the most harmful habits - drinking tea or coffee, smoking, or grinding their teeth - but still experience discoloration of their teeth as they grow old. All human beings are born with a different inner tooth color which appears as the tooth’s enamel coating wears away during the aging process, upon overexposure to fluoride, or trauma. Such discoloration or staining is referred to as “intrinsic staining”. By contrast, “extrinsic staining” are stains created by drinking dark beverages (soft drinks, coffee, tea), smoking, genetics, diet and grinding of teeth.

Both types of stains are treatable, but the age of the patient and the level of staining play a large role in the final results.Furthermore, some intrinsic discoloration cannot be addressed completely and a dentist or dental technician will discuss this with the patient beforehand. When this treatment is done by a qualified professional, fifteen to twenty minutes should be expected. The patient will have to wear a mouth guard, and have a “rubber dam” painted on the gums. The peroxide gel will then be applied to the teeth and left to sit for a short while. A take-home kit is usually sent home with the patient to tackle the more persistent stains or just for maintenance. Patients are advised to not smoke, to avoid dark colored food and drinks, and to not drink through a straw for a number of days after the treatment. Some dentists provide a take-home kit containing a low-intensity peroxide gel along with other equipment required for the procedure for a cost. Such a choice can often save a patient a great deal of money, but it may not provide the same quick and powerful results as those possibly achieved by the dentist.

The many over-the-counter whitening kits, though they require a time commitment of more than a week, generally produce excellent results. The reality with these relatively inexpensive and convenient kits, though, will not be able to address deeply set or some intrinsic stains, which must be handled by a dentist.