Teeth bleaching has come a long way in the last few years. It used to be reserved for an elite few that could afford the exorbitant $600 fee that dentists charged for some tubes of bleach and the custom fitted trays. While that remains the preferred method(although the price has dropped), there are many other options available today.
The most popular method right now are the Whitening Strips. They come in individual packets. One for the top and another for the bottom. You stick them on the fronts of your teeth and wear for approximately 30 minutes. I found that if you dry your teeth before applying the whitening strip, they will stick better.
From my experience, they are a little difficult to work with and caused some gum tissue trauma. I accidentally got some bleach on my gums and it turned white. That only lasted a couple of hours and then it just felt burnt.
Dental offices can get whitening strips in Professional strength and they aren’t a whole lot more expensive than the ones sold at Target and Walgreen’s. Since they are stronger, you won’t have to use as much to get the teeth whiter. That could save money in the long run. Just check with your dentist to see if they have the Crest White Strips Professional strength or the Tres White by Opalescence(my favorite).
While whitening your teeth, it’s very important to remember that your teeth are more sensitive and can pick up stains a lot faster. The bleach actually dries out your teeth and causes them to be more porous so you will want to stay away from dark foods and drinks. Wine, blackberries, blueberries, soda, coffee, tea, etc. These could actually stain your teeth and cancel out the whitening effect.
So if you want whiter teeth but can’t afford the professional dental trays: Give the teeth bleaching strips a try. They are an inexpensive beauty secret that will do wonders for your smile.