When I first moved to LA I was mesmerized by all the beautiful people. Never before did my waitress, banker and valet look like they stepped out of an Abercrombie & Fitch editorial. Once I went back home for a small vacation, everyone in Colorado would comment that I looked “so LA.” People would say that I was better dressed, tanner and that my teeth were whiter. Read more in “Whitening Problems”Your choice of dress comes with time and money. The color of your skin tone comes from how seriously you protect yourself against skin cancer (clearly I don’t). Whitening your teeth comes from crest white strips.

Brightening your smile is a simple way to enhance your whole look. However this beauty secret can sometimes be taken too far. If you’ve ever read about someone who has tanorexia (a person who believes they are pale no matter how tan they get) this phobia also applies to people with teeth whitening. It is a slippery slope before you go from a toothpaste advertisement to an equestrian endorsement.

Here are some products approved by webmd. Use in moderation.

Whitening Toothpastes

All toothpastes help remove surface stains, because they contain mild abrasives. Some whitening toothpastes contain gentle polishing or chemical agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Whitening toothpastes can help remove surface stains only and do not contain bleach; over-the-counter and professional whitening products contain carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide that helps lighten the color deep in the tooth. Whitening toothpastes can lighten the tooth’s color by about one shade. In contrast, light-activated whitening conducted in your dentist’s office can make your teeth three to eight shades lighter.

Over-the-Counter Whitening Strips and Gels

Whitening gels are clear, peroxide-based gels applied with a small brush directly to the surface of your teeth. Instructions generally call for twice a day application for 14 days. Initial results are seen in a few days and final results are sustained for about four months.

Whitening strips are very thin, virtually invisible strips that are coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel. The strips are applied twice daily for 30 minutes for 14 days. Initial results are seen in a few days and final results are sustained for about four months.

Whitening Rinses

Among the newest whitening products available are whitening rinses. Like most mouthwashes, they freshen breath and help reduce dental plaque and gum disease. But these products also include ingredients, such as hydrogen peroxide, which whiten teeth. Manufacturers say it may take 12 weeks to see results. You just swish them around in your mouth for 60 seconds twice a day before brushing your teeth. However, some experts say that rinses may not be as effective as other over-the-counter whitening products. Because a whitening rinse is only in contact with the teeth for such a short time — just two minutes a day compared to 30 minutes for many strips — it may have less of an effect.

Good luck and Happy whitening!

Connor