As we age, the paint on our automobiles gets dull and if you take a look, you will find the finish on your teeth also has taken a beating. It's natural for your teeth to wear down the enamel and become dull, discolored and stained.

The great news is that with the advent of the Web, it's possible to review all the different types of whitening solutions on the market without leaving the comfort of your home.

Let's take a quick look at some of the ways you can quickly get whiter and brighter teeth.

1. Mouthwashes and solutions. These products have been around for quite awhile and are considered more of a maintenance product than an actual teeth whitening solution. While they may be fine for keeping your teeth looking great, these quick mouthwash products don't stay on your teeth long enough to be truly effective.

2. Over the counter products. These are the paint on products found at your local drugstore. Another popular product are white strips that are placed on the front teeth. While you may have 25 or more teeth, these products only whiten the front 12 or so teeth structures. While convenient, you cannot expect too much whitening on seriously stained tooth enamel

3. Home do-it-yourself kits. These products, although more expensive than local drugstore offerings, do a much better job of whitening and brightening your teeth. Available on the Internet from a variety of sources, these carbamide peroxide-based products offer a quick, low cost way to a brighter smile. Care should be taken to get a product with no more than 22% carbamide peroxide. Anything stronger, and you run the risk of damaging teeth and gums

4. Professional teeth whitening. Professional teeth whitening is now done at many of your local dentist offices and also at specialty teeth whitening salons. Products such as zoom teeth whitening offered by your dental professional can remove many of the most stubborn stains and discolorations. While much more expensive than any of the other solutions, professional teeth whitening does have the benefit of more effectively whitening and brightening tooth enamel than anything else available.

The great majority of tooth whitening products will fall into one of these four categories. While some dentists may offer home teeth whitening kits, these are usually no better than product you can get over the Web. Ordering your supplies directly from your dentist however, offers the benefit of not only a local source, but also someone who has a vested interest in your satisfaction.

In the end, the trade-off is quite simple to understand. If you want the best teeth whitening experience available in the shortest amount of time, go with the professional teeth whitening even though it's much more expensive.
If your interest is only in keeping your teeth brightness from becoming worse, many of the over-the-counter and even mouthwash products would suit your needs.