You’ve noticed of late that your smile isn’t as bright as it used to be. Maybe you’ve been drinking too much coffee or red wine of late. Or maybe blueberries are the culprit. Regardless, you know that having a nice white smile can not only impact your self-esteem, but sometimes even your job and professional prospects. You’ve pretty much decided to look into some teeth whitening procedures, but you’re not sure which to choose. Here are three recommendations from your Monroe cosmetic dentist to help you narrow down your choices.

1. Simple Systems

According to WebMD, many teeth whitening systems exist. If you only have a few surface stains, a toothpaste with a good whitener will probably do the trick. They have no bleach in them just an abrasive that scrubs off the extra discoloration. This option will take your teeth up a shade or two, so if they’re not very stained and yellow, this is probably the best and simplest option for you.

2. Teeth Whiteners With Bleach

These are the kinds that you either administer via whitening strips or by trays. They usually have some sort of peroxide in them, and therefore have the ability to lighten your teeth by as much as five shades.

They can be very effective as teeth whitening agents, but in some cases, people have reported a bit of sensitivity in the teeth. They’re shown to be safe, but you may want to take a visit to your Monroe cosmetic dentist to make sure that your teeth are strong enough for them.

3. Professional Whitening Options

These can cost you quite a bit of money – at least $500, according to some estimates. They’re done in a dentist’s office. You may be required to come back and visit your dentist a couple of times to get rid of all the stains and discoloration.

This is the option you want to explore if you’ve tried whiteners at home, but you really can’t see much of a change in your smile. WebMD suggests that at this point a stronger – read in-office – treatment might be needed to really get your smile up to par.

If you need to explore getting your teeth whitened in a dentist’s office, why not call your local Monroe cosmetic dentist today? A brighter smile could be yours after just a couple of visits!