Teeth whitening are not a new trend; products to whiten your teeth have been on the market for a long time. Recently though it has regained popularity and there is a lot of advertising for teeth whitening products. You are seeing more and more people with blindingly bright smiles.

Most of teeth whitening products you can find over the counter are toothpaste, gels and strips. It is ideal to use whitening products if you have yellow tones to your teeth and you have no restorations or fillings and very healthy gums.

It is not recommend for people under the age of 16 because it could cause tooth sensitivity and it is not recommended for pregnant or lactating women. If you have sensitive teeth and gums you should talk to your dentist before using any product, also if you have an allergy to peroxide then you shouldn't use any bleaching agent. You should not attempt to whiten your teeth if you have gum disease, worn enamel, cavities and exposed roots. This can increase tooth sensitivity and even cause some pain.

People who have tooth colored fillings should know that they do not whiten. If you use a bleaching agent on these it may result in uneven color. If you really want to lighten your teeth then you need to talk to your dentist and see what their recommendations are.

Try not to have unrealistic expectations. Not everyone will have a nice white smile. People who have yellow tomes to their teeth will have the best results. Keep in mind that if you smoke the results may take longer and then may not last as long unless you refrain from smoking. Also keep in mind that the natural whiteness of person's teeth is about the same as the whiteness of their eyes. People who have blue gray staining of their teeth should know it will take longer to whiten, maybe up to six months of home treatment and visits to the dentist. People with dark stains may have better luck with veneers, bonding or crowns.

There are some side affect in teeth whitening. One of them is temporary tooth sensitivity and some irritation of the gum or soft tissue in the mouth. The sensitivity usually happens in the first couple of days of the bleaching process. The irritation of the tissue and gums could be from an ill fitting mouth piece. However the conditions usually disappear after a few days.

There are some things to consider when choosing an over the counter whitening kit. You should try to select a kit that will allow you to customize the mouth piece to avoid gum irritation. Talk to other people and see if they have tried the product that you are considering and see if it worked well. If you experience a prolonged change in the color of your gums or you experience an increase of tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods, you should immediately stop using the mouthpiece and see the dentist as soon as you can.