Having sparkling, white teeth is not only desirable, it appears to have become an obsession with many people and those people want to discover the best tooth whitening product.

There are many products currently available in the market; however, before you can chose the best tooth whitening product for your needs you will need to consider whether you want the whitening process carried out professionally by a dentist or if you'd prefer to do it yourself at home.

Professional tooth whitening is one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve the appearance of both men and women. It is fast, affordable and can transform a smile in a matter of days. It is, therefore, becoming more popular and common. The usual method of professional whitening involves treating the teeth with carbamide peroxide, an active ingredient which releases a great amount of oxygen into the enamel of the teeth, thereby lightening the teeth by several shades.

The peroxide compound is generally placed into a tray which is then applied to the teeth while protecting the gums. The best thing with the professional tooth whitening process is that it is fast and effective and will whiten your teeth in a matter of days. The process itself takes one to two hours at the dental surgery and there is a follow-up process which can be carried out at home, whereby the patient wears the tray with compound for 30 minutes a day for three weeks. The improvement in the brightness and whiteness of the teeth can be dramatic.

There are other improved products available today that can be applied overnight. This will speed up the process a lot. In this way the treatment can be finished within one week, instead of two to three weeks which the home kits usually require.

Having your teeth whitened professionally may seem like an expensive option for many people and they may prefer to look for the best tooth whitening product that can be used at home. When choosing a home tooth whitening kit consider the following:

• Ease of use
• Product ingredients
• Price and value
• Product recommendation

Peroxide-based tooth whitening is a function of two factors - the concentration of peroxide in the whitening compound and the amount of time the compound is in contact with the surface of the teeth. To achieve the best results, the teeth need to be exposed to an appropriate tooth whitener for the recommended amount of time.

Often, home tooth whitening kits use a lower concentration whitener for an extended period of time. A dentist will usually use a higher concentration of whitener for a shorter period of time. It is generally felt that both methods will produce the same outcome.

Tooth bleaching at home requires will require a commitment to follow the process for some week. On the other hand, the dentist can achieve the same result in a matter of hours - albeit at far greater cost. It is generally considered that two weeks of at-home whitening treatments would produce the same result as a one-hour session with the dentist.

Conclusion

To choose the best tooth whitening product you will need to consider many factors including your budget, the time you have available to pursue the whitening process and your ability to stick to the necessary daily routine required for home bleaching. Both methods will usually produce excellent results.