Advice for Choosing Teeth Whitening Products

One of the best beauty tips that can instantly take at least 10 years off your age is creating a whiter smile. I heard a top makeup artist on TV say when asked “what is the first thing you do to make a woman look younger?” He replied “whiten her teeth.” I thought it made great sense because our teeth tend to become dull and look yellow the older we get. Who wants yellow teeth?

The market is flooded with brands of tooth whitening products and it is difficult to know which one is best, especially when ordering from the internet. Here are a few of my experiences.

I purchased a whitening system from my dentist for about $300 and was very happy with the results. It was not an instant fix, but my gums did not hurt after I used it. One problem is this process must be repeated from time to time to maintain a white smile. The other problem is my current budget will not allow me to afford to do it again right now.

There are two brands I would definitely stay away from. I tried these two brands of dental whitening I had ordered over the internet. The information I received was to use the two products together to achieve maximum results. My teeth did get whiter, however, the products really made my gums and teeth hurt for a long time.

These products were initially inexpensive because they were a “free trial”. However, because I did not cancel them within the specified time, I might as well have visited the dentist due to the cost. Also, when I did try cancel them, one of the companies made it very difficult to cancel. I had to make at least 3 calls to them and it was very time consuming. The two brands I would not recommend are Dazzling White and Everbright Smile.

If you do decide to order teeth whitening products over the internet, check out my “Consumer Tips for Free Trials” blog published in April to avoid repeating my unfortunate mistakes.

If your teeth are just lightly stained, try using a whitening toothpaste. This should be enough to keep your teeth looking their whitest.

If your teeth are heavily stained due to coffee, tea, aging or smoking, it is probably best to use a dentist approved tray and gel system to return your teeth to their naturally white color.

You can get the same system used in a dental office for less from a company called ProWhite. They are an actual dentist lab and will create custom trays and use the same gel solution you get from the dentist’s office. Dentists also purchase their gel from this lab. You can save money by dealing directly with the lab.

I have not tried the tooth whitening pens, however, after my negative experience with the brands I mentioned earlier, I would stay away from any “instant” product as I do not want to permanently damage my teeth or gums.

Whitening your teeth more slowly is what most dentists recommend. The reason is it does not damage your teeth and gums. Unless of course you can afford the rapid whitening method provided in a dentist’s office. I know we all want quick results, just be careful when choosing a tooth whitening system so you don’t damage your teeth or gums.

I hope this information helps you to make an informed decision about choosing the right product to whiten your teeth. Remember, your smile is one of the first things notice about you and having sparkling white teeth makes a great impression. Having a gorgeous white smile can easily make you look 10 years younger.

You can find an affordable dental lab here.

--Carla