Looking for a brighter smile? Bleaching may be the answer. Here are a few questions to consider before getting started: 1) will bleaching work for me?, 2) which product is best for my situation and budget?, 3) will this hurt my teeth, or what are the side effects?

Home bleaching works best on stain and discoloration that accumulates over time. Smokers, coffee and tea drinkers, and blueberry eaters stand to gain the most. Dental bleaches are basically peroxides that oxidize (grab) the stain particles and fizz them away. Some caution though. If you've had fillings or crowns placed they typically don't respond to bleach. Fillings that used to match may stand out and be noticeable. Also, some stains are intrinsic, or formed when the teeth themselves formed, and bleaching typically doesn't help these much.

In terms of products, you have choices. They range from the fairly meek over-the-counter toothpastes to dentist provided tray bleaches to fairly caustic in-office bleaches which are applied by a dentist. The over-the-counter products work slowly and have the least effect. Use caution with whitening toothpastes, they are often more abrasive and may hasten tooth wear. New to the market are at home whitening strips, which come in both over-the-counter and prescription form. These can be effective and relatively inexpensive. Dentist provided tray materials are the most popular professional bleaching materials. They are easier to use and faster, though more expensive. Finally, in office bleaching procedures are performed by the dentist.

As for side effects, the most common is tooth sensitivity. Because bleaches remove organic material, some of which is a protective coating on the roots of your teeth, hot and cold sensitivity is fairly common. It is transient and preventable, just stop bleaching for a short time and resume bleaching when sensitivity subsides.

A last word, don't go too far. Use judgment in how white is white enough. Base this on skin tone, hair, etc. Teeth that are too white tend to look phony and call negative attention to your presentation. Which is right for you? Send your specifics to james@jamesreznichdds.com