Professional teeth whitening is becoming the increasingly popular choice for anybody with stained teeth. Yes, you can buy over the counter remedies, but if you want to guarantee whiter teeth now, then professional teeth whitening is the best option.

Professional teeth whitening does not produce different results from the 'at-home' products you can buy, but there are distinct advantages. Firstly, you can be confident that you are in the hands of a professional who knows what they are doing, and secondly, the whitening effects are immediate.

It is a matter of personal choice how many visits it will take to get your teeth professionally whitened. Your teeth will show a change of color after a one-hour visit, but you may want more than this. If you wish to achieve optimal whiteness it may be necessary to attend between two and six times.

Teeth can become stained for a variety of reasons. Food and drink with strong colorings cause stains, most commonly tea and coffee. Smoking gives the teeth a yellowish appearance. Disease and medicine can also cause teeth to become stained, and our teeth naturally become darker as we age. These are all reasons that send us to get professional teeth whitening.

The first thing your dentist will establish is whether it is in your best interests to have professional teeth whitening. There may be circumstances that you haven't considered - for example, if you have tooth colored fillings your teeth may look unnatural if you have them professionally whitened. You may discover that having a professional dental clean is all that you need. Removing the tartar and stains from your teeth can improve their appearance and color, making professional teeth whitening unnecessary.

Having established that your teeth are clean and that professional teeth whitening is the right treatment for you, the dentist will show you the different shades of whiteness that can be achieved with professional teeth whitening. The dentist will consult with you using a porcelain tab (shaped like teeth) to establish which shade of white is right for you.

The dentist will usually polish your teeth before beginning the professional teeth whitening procedure to ensure that all surface stains have gone. The dentist will then isolate the teeth that are going to be whitened with a thin sheet of latex or a special gel that provides a seal around the teeth. The tooth whitener/bleacher is then applied and left on for the period of time necessary to achieve the previously agreed results. Depending on which technique the dentist has chosen, a laser, heat or light source may be used to help activate the bleaching agent.

Professional teeth whitening can last for a few years or as little as six months. Quite often your lifestyle determines how long your treatment will last. However, there is no doubt that professional teeth whitening can return a person's self-esteem. Why not pay a visit to your dentist to establish whether professional teeth whitening could be right for you?

Copyright Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved.