Over The Counter Teeth Whitening
There is no reason to go to the dentist just because you want teeth like a TV star. You can get an over the counter teeth whitening product that do a professional job at a fraction of the price. Every major consumer goods company seems to have one now so there are plenty to choose from. There are a wide variety of different products and different methods of application although almost all use the same bleaching chemicals in their products; here is a guide to some of the great products that are out there for you to choose from.
Teeth Whitening Trays
This is the way your dentist does teeth whitening and those awful fluoride treatments and the same trays are available for you to whiten your teeth at home. This was the original version of the do it yourself teeth whitening and it is no longer as popular as the others.
One drawback is that it was expensive to fill the trays with whitening formula and a lot of the formula was wasted. This technique is also messy if you are not lying in a dentist chair with a bib on
Paint on Whitening
A big improvement over the trays, paint on whitening is one of the most effective techniques available in over the counter teeth whitening on the market. You paint on the product that when dries on the fronts of your teeth. This technique allows you to get a nice even coloration across all of your teeth, but it is time consuming.
I tired this technique and had a lot of success. It was after using this type of product that people started to stop me and ask what I had done because they wanted to get the same results for themselves. After a full month of treatments, I notice at dinner one night that my teeth were whiter then my teenage sons. I would say that is a product that works.
Whitening Strips
These strips were the invention that spelled the end for the trays. The main advantage of the strips is that they are easily portable and there is no mess to clean up because even the strip that holds the bleaching agent will dissolve in your mouth. Part of the advertising Crest did for their Crest Whitestrips was that you could use these while you were out about in public. While they are portable and easy to apply, I still think they are best used at home because if you do a lot of talking with them in they are bound to shift out of place and that leads to uneven coloration on the surface of your teeth.
Electric Toothbrush
Among all the new fancy strips and trays meant to whiten your teeth, do not forget about the ultimate over the counter teeth whitening product, the toothbrush. If you do not have good brushing habits then that is where you need to start in you quest for whiter teeth. Dentists recommend a full 2 minutes of brushing at least twice per day with a tooth brush in good condition. To keep your toothbrush in good share, be sure to change it every 3 months.
If you have not been brushing regularly, a good regimen with the brush can whiten your teeth by three shades. If you cannot make enough progress with a standard brush, try an electric one. They deliver an ever better clean for your teeth and with less effort from you. Just direct the vibrating brush to the right location and the rest will take care of itself. As an added bonus to the whitening effects, the toothbrush will also help fight plaque and cavities. All of that in just four minutes per day.