Cosmetic whitening via the dentist usually involves bleaching or laser whitening. In-office bleaching is the most common form of teeth whitening from the dentist, as it is also the most cost-effective. With this procedure, the patient visits the dentist, who has impressions of your mouth taken. These impressions are then used to make a custom-made tray designed to fit your teeth exactly. From there, a bleaching gel is put in the tray and worn for an hour or two each day. Because the bleaching gel is a high concentration, results can be seen within a few days. However, it usually takes a couple of weeks to see full results. Bleaching whitens teeth about 6 shades lighter than before the process began.

With laser whitening, also called Zoom! Whitening, the dentist first places a tool in the mouth to keep the lips from touching the teeth during treatment. Then, a bleaching gel is applied to the teeth and a laser is shone on the teeth for an hour. This light activates the gel, which in turn whitens the teeth. The dentist may decide to shine the light for longer than an hour, depending on the degree of discoloration.

Visiting the dentist for bleaching or laser whitening is the fastest way to brighten your teeth, and will also give you the most dramatic results. However, it will also cost the most-laser whitening starts at around $1,000. Many dentists offer free bleaching trays, however, if you switch to using them as your dentist.

Whitening Strips
Perhaps the most popular off the shelf tooth whitening system, whitening strips come in a variety of brands with a variety of different strengths and times you spend applying them. Typically, you put them on twice a day from anywhere between 3 days to 14, with results noticeable after several days. These products contain peroxide, which will help to whiten the teeth to some degree (more than toothpaste but less than a dentist's visit). Results typically last at least six months.

Whitening toothpastes
The majority of toothpastes have some sort of whitening agents in them, and these are probably the least effective of all the teeth whitening products. They typically only whiten teeth about a shade, which in most cases isn't enough to notice a difference. This is because toothpastes don't contain bleaching agents that other whitening products have, so they only work to remove surface stains, not the deeper staining that causes discoloring.

However, whitening toothpastes are excellent for maintenance of your newly-whitened teeth and are good to use after eating or drinking foods that could stain your teeth; for example, coffee, berries, or dark juices.

The above are some of the best tips and products for teeth whitening.