People continue to push for the modern definition of success. That definition includes a hypersensitivity to the way we look and our general appearance. And white teeth simply look better and offer us a good measure of confidence. This is probably because we all know first impressions are extremely important. There is such a thing as love at first sight, and those all-important first impressions in a business environment are critical for long-term relationship success.

There are many things that make up a first impression. Your general appearance and posture although important are not generally what people notice first. The first thing people key into is your face. When your teeth are yellowed and discolored you run the risk of not making that all-important good first impression. This is because most people equate white teeth with being healthy and successful.

The bad news is that no matter how well we take care of our teeth, our lifestyles continue to make them dull and stained. Our eating and drinking habits during our day to day routine help to darken and stain tooth enamel. Some of that rich dark Starbucks coffee that you had this morning, continues to work to darken your teeth. Although people are more aware than ever about good dental hygiene, teeth will also become yellow simply as a result of the aging process.

Teeth whitening is rapidly becoming one of the most popular and sought after cosmetic treatments in the US. The demand for teeth whitening products continues to grow at over 25% a year. The demand for whiter teeth has resulted in three major categories of teeth whitening products and services available today

1. The first is over-the-counter remedies and products. These include toothpastes, mouth washes, white strips, white stripes, and almost everything found in your local drugstore or supermarket personal hygiene ailes.

2. The second is a wide array of home teeth whitening kits. These whitening solutions come complete with a supply of whitener gel stored in individual syringes and teeth bleaching trays. These kits can cost anywhere from a 50 to 150 dollars depending on the quality of the materials and compounds used.

3. The third option is a professional teeth whitening system. These teeth whitening systems are usually offered exclusively through local dentists and dental offices. The professional tooth whitening system delivers much faster results than home teeth whitener kits but are more costly.

Of the professional systems available today, many use a low intensity light to activate whitening gels and chemicals. Some also use laser or light enhanced products that are much more aggressive in their ability to quickly whiten your teeth. Professional teeth whitening typically delivers a noticeable difference in just one treatment.

Professional tooth whitening systems also are much better at lightening or removing the most stubborn stains and yellowing. Even almost impossible to remove tetracycline antibiotic stains can be lightened using the professional teeth whitening methods. As you may know, one of the side effects of tetracycline was that it made brown streaking stains on your teeth.

It’s advisable that no matter which teeth whitening solution you choose, you need to first see your dentist. This is to make certain that your teeth and gums are healthy before starting any teeth whitening solution.

Many people elect to use a professional teeth whitening system to get their smile restored back to their original bright white shade. Then they simply use a home tooth whitening kit and other over-the-counter products to help maintain their new bright smile

If you’re tempted to pick up one of those tooth-whitening products at the drugstore or dentist’s office, rest assured: a new review of existing research suggests there’s a good chance they’re effective.

“All the products seem to work,” said Dr. Hana Hasson, clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan and lead author of the review.

“They were dependable in terms of effects and safety.”

But Hasson and colleagues don’t consider the studies in favor of the products to be rock-solid, and they couldn’t find evidence supporting anything other than short-term use.

Tooth-whitening products started to become popular in the 1990s, and their appeal has grown mightily over the past decade. Now, store shelves are filled with tooth-whitening products, all claiming to brighten smiles.

The products bleach the teeth with chemicals — instead of cleaning them with abrasives — and are designed to be used only for a couple weeks at a time.

In the new review, Hasson and colleagues tried to assess the state of research into tooth-whitening products that are designed to be used in the home. Tooth-whitening toothpastes weren’t included in this review.

The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews like this one draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

Ok, I keep getting emails asking for free teeth whitening. Honestly, I feel most people can afford $39 dollars for teeth whitening from Brighter Image. It works fast and it works well.

However, if you want free teeth whitening, I have two tips.

1. Brighter Image has offered a try it free teeth whitening in the past. You could get on their live chat or call them and ask if they still offer this service.

2. Ok this is not exactly free but it does make teeth whitening easier on the pocketbook. When you check out on the Brighter Image shopping cart, there is a little selector that says ‘3 Easy Payments’. It is right above the selection ‘Pay In Full’ which is marked. Just click on the ‘3 Easy Payments’ and voila! When you check out, they charge you 1/3 of the cost, and over the next few weeks, you are billed the rest.

I hope this helps. Don’t listen to people who tell you that hydrogen peroxide in the bottle, baking soda from the cabinet, or any fruits are the answer. All of these can produce unwanted side effects and my damage your teeth permanently!

January 2009

Norwegian scientists have demonstrated that light sources often used as part of the tooth bleaching process do not contribute to the effectiveness of the process and may pose possible health risks.

Teeth bleaching is becoming a popular way to remove stains on the teeth caused by smoking, red wine, tea and coffee, in an attempt to achieve a Hollywood smile. The process used by dentists to bleach teeth involves applying an oxidising agent to the teeth and in some cases a light source is then shone onto the teeth.

UV-illuminated teeth Tooth bleaching is becoming a popular way to remove stains on the teeth caused by smoking, red wine, tea and coffee.

Ellen Bruzell from the Nordic Institute of Dental Materials, Haslum, and colleagues, measured the effectiveness of teeth bleaching using seven different commercially available products, with and without using light sources. The claim that light-assisted tooth bleaching is more efficient than ordinary bleaching has not been substantiated in the literature, explains Bruzell. She says that they found a ‘lack of additional whitening effect when light is used compared to bleaching without light’.

The team also demonstrated that for the majority of the light sources tested, the amount of radiation a person is exposed to during the bleaching process poses a risk of damage to the skin and eyes if proper protection is not used. Thomas Attin, an expert in preventative and restorative dentistry from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, comments that this study is very interesting and says that ‘the aspect that the light sources used for bleaching may cause some risks (not only to the teeth) is new.’

Bruzell also found an increase in exposed perichymata (grooves on the surface of the tooth enamel) on the bleached teeth compared to unbleached control teeth, showing that the tooth bleaching process removes part of the pellicle that covers the enamel’s surface, making the teeth more vulnerable to mechanical stress.

Bruzell says she is now carrying out a study on the effectiveness of first time tooth bleaching. Future work may also include investigating the effects of optical radiation on oral tissue and looking into the adverse effects of repetitive tooth bleaching, she adds.

Alexandra Haywood