Everyone, young and old, should try to maintain proper oral care. Brushing and flossing, along with regular dental visits, will help keep your teeth healthy and white. But Father Time is undefeated, and your teeth will inevitably darken at some point in your life. Several factors contribute to this:

• Medication side effects
• Medical treatments
• Tobacco use
• Tooth trauma
• Certain beverages (coffee and red wine)
• Age

Some factors, like smoking and strongly colored drinks, will leave stains on the surface of your teeth. Each of these factors can also affect your enamel, allowing the darker layers beneath to become more visible. The teeth whitener you land on will depend on the cause of your discoloration, your current shade, and the shade of white you hope to achieve.

It's good to have options. But which whitening approach should you choose? All are good, but some are better for some teeth than others. Let's breakdown what each has to offer:

Whitening toothpastes are a very practical and affordable way to lighten teeth. They contain mild abrasives, such baking soda, to gently lift stains from the surface of your teeth as you brush. Some also contain bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide for a deeper whitening effect.

Whitening strips are thin strips of plastic coated with gel that contains a bleaching agent – usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. You simply lay the strips across your teeth and leave them for the specified time. You can expect to achieve faster and more noticeable results than with a toothpaste, with an improvement of a few shades in 1-2 weeks.

More convenient and portable than strips, a whitening pen is filled with a similar bleaching gel. You simply brush the gel on to your teeth and let it dry, and then the bleaching agent gets to work. Pens are perfect for spot touch-ups, perhaps when you need to freshen up your smile before a big event.

For more advanced home whitening, LED devices like the Colgate® Optic White® ComfortFit LED Teeth Whitening Kit are ideal. After brushing the hydrogen peroxide whitening gel onto your teeth, you wear the flexible, comfortable LED device over your teeth for just 10 minutes a day. The indigo-wavelength LED light enhances the effects of the whitening pen, giving professional-level whitening results.

According to the ADA, just one visit to your dentistcould give you dramatically whiter teeth. During an in-office whitening procedure, your dentist uses a strong bleaching agent and activates it with a laser or LED light to intensify the results. While it's the priciest option, results are usually immediate and are much greater than you can achieve at home.
 

All whitening treatments come with a risk of sensitivity, but your dental professional can help you to manage this. Speak to your dental team about post-whitening sensitivity and how to reduce it.

To keep your pearly whites white after your treatment, here are a few things you can do:

• Master your oral hygiene routine of brushing, flossing, and mouth rinsing to remove any plaque and tartar.

• Use an advanced tooth whitening toothpaste.

• Speak with your dentist about a whitening maintenance plan, which may involve additional whitening treatments over time.

The desire for white teeth is at an all-time high. In fact, the ADA says it's the most requested service that dentists hear. And it makes sense. The confidence from a white smile can do wonders. It also makes sense to maintain your at-home oral care and regular dentist visits. The better you do with that, the less time and money you'll need to spend on a teeth whitening kit. That's another way to look on the bright side.

This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.