This Bright Smile of Mine

I'm gonna let it shine...

We all want gleaming white teeth, but many of us don't have the time or the money needed to achieve such brightness. Simply, most of us don't have a clue about the best at-home treatments to make our enamels sparkle and without professional help to restore teeth to their natural shine things can get a bit creepy and funky.

Graying or yellowing teeth are a result of damage carried out by daily activities. The dulling of color pretty much mirrors your lifestyles and can expose your habits, such as smoking, drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks, and poor oral hygiene. But with the proper treatment, you can restore your teeth back to their natural shine by choosing the best product(s).

The two most effective approaches to teeth whitening are in-office laser treatment and at-home teeth whitening with custom-fit trays designed by your dentist.  Most over the counter remedies will work to some degree, but won't guarantee the same level of results these professional treatments will. However, over-the-counter approaches will likely lighten your teeth by three to five shades while professional treatments will improve by 10 shades or more. Again, if you're unable to shell out hundreds of dollars, then at-home treatment is right for you.

Being that Cupid will be making his debut in two days, I figured why not assist a little and improve your smile. This way if don't receive any jewelry, you'll BLING all the same!

These are my top 5 faves for keeping smiles beautifully bright.

1. Crest Whitening Strips- $45.00, effective and results in 10 days, but we don't have 10...only 2.  So on to next one.

2. Colgate Simply White-$15.99, you may need to say "ahh" for 30 seconds after applying this product. Nice paint-on whitener that stays on your teeth pretty well. Noticeable 2 shades brighter, without the slimy residue from strips.

3. Rembrandt 2 Hour Whitening Kit-$18.99, I recommend using about 6 hours before the "big night" out. This kit may heighten your tooth sensitivity and create white dots (they fade). May be bothersome by keeping the mouth-piece in for 2 hours, just be sure to follow directions and rinse and refill every 20 minutes.    I found the results to be amazing....noticeable shade difference too.

4. Crest 3D White Intensive Professional Effects-$36.99, effective whitening results comparable to a professional treatment. Results are noticeable after 1 use. Two hours a day for 7 seven days. Not a bad affordable price, beats laser whitening treatment.

5. Arm & Hammer Teeth Whitening Booster-$3.99, this product was a bit abrasive ,more or less it removed surfaced stains. One of the least expensive products posing as a whitener. Not quite a big change in brightness, however it makes teeth feel smoother and cleaner. I'll probably use this as touch-up in between regular brushing.

If you're indecisive about purchasing a whitening kit, please reconsider. There are beneficial qualities like:

· You will feel more confident
· You will look more attractive
· People won't be turned off by your graying/yellowing smile any longer....eeeeew!
·       Smiles illuminates the room

But one thing is for sure...beautifully white teeth will make us feel better and look better.  There is no doubt about it.