Natural tooth enamel has a tendency to darken with age taking on a more greyish-yellow undertone. In addition, surface stains from certain foods, beverages, and tobacco may build up on the tooth with time diminishing the tooth’s natural whiteness.
There are several teeth whitening systems available on the market including over-the-counter whitening toothpastes and gels, oral rinses, whitening strips and trays.
In comparison, professionally provided whitening systems are ones where your dentist either provides you with a set of trays to take home, or the bleaching chemical is applied directly to the teeth in the office. These systems contain either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide which is the active ingredient that lightens the dark colour deeper in the enamel.
The dentist will evaluate your individual tooth characteristics and provide insight into which whitening system is most suitable.