There are many causes of tooth discoloration.  Theses can include poor hygiene, diet and tobacco use.  There are many teeth whitening products on the market today, but sometimes the choices can be overwhelming.  Between deciding on using their dentist or buying kits from the pharmacy, there are many factors that need to be well thought-out.  Here are some considerations of the process to think about.

For obvious reasons, it is commonly believed that visiting your family dentist to have the procedure done is the quickest and most effective method.  However, this procedure can be expensive and not covered by most insurance companies.  Another consideration for many people is the fear of the dentist.  They would choose not to have to go in for an elective procedure. 

Rather than visiting the dentist you can purchase a whitening kit from your local drugstore of pharmacy.  Most dentists will not advise their patients to use these products, but they cannot discredit them because they contain the same ingredients that your doctor would use namely hydrogen peroxide and carbamide.

Store bought whitening kits are effective to some degree, and most studies agree that if used regularly and consistently they can have the same effect as having it teeth whitened professionally.  These kits are drastically less expensive then the procedure, and are sometimes an impulse purchase.   Since the price is the main advantage, let’s take a look at some of the disadvantages as well.

There are three main disadvantages to store bought teeth whitening systems; these include your suitability to the product, the use of strong chemicals and useless accessories included in each kit.  Trying to decide on a tooth whitening kit to begin with is difficult,  there is no way to know whether the product will work for you or not.  Word of mouth can be beneficial, because you are getting a firsthand opinion about the product. 

For someone with sensitive teeth and gums, certain products might be too strong; unfortunately the only way to find out is through trial and error.  Sometimes is wise to ask your dentist’s opinion about which products they would recommend for your teeth. 

Due to the fact that these products are manufactured to fit the mass population, there is a good chance that the accessories included in the kit, like the mouth tray, won’t fit so nicely in your mouth.  If the tray is too big, the formula will not work properly, however, if it is too small it could cause gum bleeding or other side effects.

Whichever method you choose, it is always wise to alert your doctor.  Although having your teeth whitened by the dentist is the most effective way to achieve whiter looking teeth, it is not the most economical.  Sometimes a little bit of research will provide you with a teeth whitening product that will do the job and not put a dent in the wallet.