It seems like everybody today wants to have white teeth, including myself. I guess everybody wants to have that Hollywood superstar smile. The other day I went to a pharmacy in my neighborhood and looked at the whitening products that were available. I was amazed! There were so many available I didn't know what to choose. They all claimed that they could give me white teeth and a bright smile. I wanted to know what I should buy so I did extensive research and discovered the truth about teeth whitening. I want to share some of those truths with you here:

1. Too much of a good thing can definitely be bad. Teeth whitening products are great if you use them occasionally, but if you use them too much you can damage your teeth. People who overuse whitening products can develop what is called "blue teeth". This happens when your teeth are bleached so much that they become somewhat transparent with a blue tinge. To avoid this I would suggest using a full dose of whitening at first and then only use a touch-up dose once a month after that. If you don't develop any more stains, then don't feel like you have to use more.

2. Teeth whitening regulation. Contrary to popular belief teeth whitening products are actually not regulated by the FDA. Actually they're not regulated by any government agency. Some products will claim some kind of FDA approval, but this is misleading. Watch out for teeth whitening products that have to use misleading information to sell their products.

3. If you have stains that were caused by antibiotics such as tetracycline, teeth whiteners won't be able to remove them. The chemical composition of the stains aren't affected by the teeth whitening agents.

4. Calcium is key. When you're looking for a teeth whitening product be sure to check if it has "free" calcium. Teeth whiteners with "free" calcium in them can actually strengthen your teeth while they whiten. They also tend to have less sensitivity problems.

5. Are you too old for white teeth? Probably not, but it has been shown that younger people tend to return to their natural whiteness quicker. So, if you're young at heart or have a lot of discoloration then you may have to use the teeth whitening product longer.

6. Mismatched teeth. One thing to be aware of when you whiten your teeth is that dental work such as crowns, veneers and bridges will most likely not be affected by tooth whiteners. So, you may end up with different colored teeth. I would suggest using teeth whiteners in shorter durations in order to match your teeth with your dental work.

7. How white is too white? If you are using an over-the-counter teeth whitening product it is important to know when you should stop. Many people become addicted to teeth whitening and end up with transparent and highly sensitive teeth. Professionals tend to agree that when your teeth match the whites of your eyes you should stop.

When you decide that you want to whiten your teeth, it's important that you do a little research. If you just go to the store and pick up whatever, you may be wasting your money on an ineffective product or worse paying for a product that causes you a lot of pain.