Everyone seems to want a whiter, brighter smile, making the teeth whitening market a booming industry.  Teeth whiteners have become a staple of the modern household with a plethora of different products available for the family to use in order  to erase away all the dullness and discoloration that builds up on the teeth due to the consumption of teeth staining gourmet coffee and teas.

Every day, we are bombarded with commercials and ads touting the latest, greatest product available to whiten teeth urging us to act now to get that brighter smile tomorrow. However, we also need to be aware which of these products are actually effective at giving us a whiter smile and which will only make our teeth tingle a bit.

Bleaching

Bleach alternatives were first made available during the 80’s. Available only through a dentist, bleaching involved using high levels of hydrogen peroxide in order to power bleach teeth white. This practice continues today with the hydrogen peroxide levels in some products reaching upwards of 40%. With these kinds of levels, teeth should stay white for around 3 to 5 years. If you are interested in a power bleach procedure, be sure to consult your dentist.

Toothpaste

Savvy toothpaste makers have also tried to cash in on the whiter teeth craze by making certain teeth whitening toothpaste conveniently available on the supermarket shelf for anyone to pick up. These toothpastes, which generally utilize baking soda and peroxide, can be effective up to a point. However, you will not get the same results that you would if you went with a professional teeth whitening product.

Also, while brushing with peroxide can make your teeth whiter, it can also lead to other problems. Peroxide can affect your gum tissues, and could possibly damage the nerve cells in your mouth leading to increased tooth sensitivity to hot and cold things making eating ice cream an arduous task.

Home bleach kits

Thanks to the popularity of professional power bleaching, a less potent home version is now available for consumers to use. These over the counter kits come with a solution for the teeth along with a tray. They usually require you to soak your teeth for several minutes every day in order to achieve a brighter smile.  While not as effective as professional power bleaching, these kits are better than the toothpaste whiteners. You can get these home kits from your dentist, who will prescribe it to you as long as they do not see it as a threat to your overall dental health.

Home kits do come with some side effects. Since they require you to keep your teeth dry overnight, some blotching might occur because of saliva in the mouth and even using alcohol to dry the teeth will not allow the bleach to work effectively. When using these kits, it is important to carefully read all the directions before starting your regime.

Whitening strips

Because of their simplicity and cost, whitening strips have become a popular way to achieve that smile. All you need to do is apply the strip before you go to bed and take it off when you wake up. Another reason why these strips are so popular is because they are readily available over the counter to anyone with the cash to buy them.  However, you need to be aware that these strips may not necessarily be effective for your teeth. The strips are flat, while most people’s teeth are not so some parts of the upper and lower teeth may remain dull while everything else turns nice and white.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of options available allowing you the consumer to get the right treatment for your price range. By understand what products are out there and their effectiveness, you too can achieve a brighter whiter smile.
  

Many of the home remedies will give you excellent results. But always be careful and don't cause damage to your gums and enamel. If you have sensitive skin and gums avoid some of the strong home remedies for teeth whitening.

Strawberry: Take one strawberry and half tbsp of baking soda. Crush the strawberry and mix it. Spread this mixture evenly on the teeth for about 5 minutes. Now brush your teeth thoroughly, rinse and floss to remove the mixture of strawberry and soda. You can do this procedure once a week

Baking soda: When baking soda is mixed with hydrogen peroxide you get excellent results. This combination also clears plaque and gives you fresh breath.

With salt: Baking soda/salt mixture is effective as it works as a whitener and salt as an abrasive. Take 3 tablespoons of BS and 1 tbsp of salt and use on your toothbrush similar to toothpaste

With hydrogen peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is effective in treating dental issues, especially stained teeth. Take 1 tbsp of baking soda and few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Mix these ingredients to form a paste. Apply this on your toothbrush and brush with it

With Lemon juice: Take 1 tbsp of baking soda and half tbsp of lemon juice. Use this mixture as a tooth paste to brush.

You can mix lemon juice and salt and clean your teeth with this combination. The only downside is that this combination can damage your enamel. So don't overuse this method too much.

Hydrogen Peroxide: After brushing, rinse your teeth with hydrogen peroxide and spit it out when it bubbles out. After this procedure, rinse your mouth with water and brush with toothpaste

Orange peel: Take the inner part of the orange peel and rub your teeth with it. You can also try rubbing powdered orange peels

Strawberries: Mash some ripe strawberries and make them into a paste. Rub this mixture onto your teeth

Bark of walnut tree: Rub the bark of walnut tree on your teeth for stain removal and whitening.

Hardwood ash: Use hardwood ash and brush with it. Hardwood ash contains potassium hydroxide, which promotes whitening.

Apple Cider Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is also another natural product which is famous as a teeth whitening solution, and whenever one finds teeth whitening tips, he or she will notice apple cider vinegar mentioned. Apple cider vinegar can always be mixed with a little bit of soda, which will be enough to form a paste, and this paste can be used to brush the teeth. A more liquid mixture can also be made out of the two and used to gargle before brushing your teeth with regular toothpaste, as this helps keep stains from the enamel at bay.

Other tried and tested natural ways to get a brighter smile include rubbing with the pith of an orange or a sage leaf, brushing with ground almond peel and salt, and chewing on the twigs of the neem plant, as followers of Ayurvedic medicine in India do when they want whiter teeth.