Whiter teeth is a growing concern in many households around the world. As personal appearance becomes ever more important in business and public affairs, many people attempt to whiten their teeth using a variety of methods. Before you start the process yourself, however, there are a few things you should know.

First – if you happen to prove unlucky -- trying to speed up the teeth whitening process can cause you problems. Both professional whitening treatments and homemade or out of office treatments carry a low risk of mouth cancer due to agitation of cells around the gums, lips and tongue. Fortunately, as whitening treatments progress, this concern is pretty limited, although the process isn’t yet totally risk-free. But there’s currently only one absolutely risk-free method of approaching tooth whitening, and that’s simply brushing every day with a standard toothpaste.

If you decide that the low risks of cancer are worth a brighter smile, there are two primary methods you can use to get there.

In-Office Whitening

The first method is in-office treatments. There are several types you can take advantage of, including professional tray treatments and laser treatments. While tray treatments are less expensive, these can be messy, taste pretty awful, and make your gums sore for days afterwards.

Tray treatments also require several sessions, or the use of a take-home kit that allows you to whiten your teeth without having to see the dentist more than once. Zoom treatments are a good example of these types of treatments. In most cases, the Zoom treatment takes roughly three days to work completely – so it isn’t terribly convenient.

The second style of in-office treatments are laser treatments. These are much quicker and the results are much more dramatic (although discomfort is greater, though it goes away quickly). The main disadvantage is that one session can run you more than a thousand dollars, depending on how much work you need.

Most sessions will take roughly thirty minutes to an hour, making laser the quickest whitening procedure available today. However, once you begin laser treatments, if you don’t take care to keep your teeth white, you’ll need to return after only a few months. You’ll have to brush daily, be careful of your oral hygiene, and avoid obvious staining ingredients such as dark coffee or red wine if you want to avoid having to return for a second treatment.

Do-it-Yourself Kits

The second whitening method is specifically designed to be cheaper and convenient. Out of office treatments, ranging from tray treatments, pen treatments, gel treatments, strips and more, are designed so that even the busiest individual will have enough time to get the whiter smile they want. Unlike office treatments, these take time and effort over a longer period of time in order to get the results you want.

For those who want the quickest results, premium 7 day strips are among the strongest treatments available outside of a doctor's office. Both Crest and Colgate offer strips that allow you to whiten your teeth within a period of 7 days. These will cost you less than 100 dollars for the entire 7 day period.

But, while convenient, there are risks associated with the use of whitestrips, pens, and other teeth whitening products for sale. The first major consideration is the fact that your teeth and gums could be sore throughout the treatment. As standard treatments are around thirty days, this could affect your comfort while you whiten your teeth. While the process is cheaper, costing roughly 40 to 80 dollars for the entirety of the treatment, the after-effects are more severe. After the treatments are done, your teeth may remain sore and sensitive for a while, as the tooth-protecting enamel will have been partially stripped away and bleached in order to give you the white smile that you want.

It’s the process of breaking down the enamel and bleaching the teeth that causes discomfort. In some individuals, the discomfort can be severe. If you already have sensitive teeth, it’s smart to avoid all whitening treatments that work by breaking down the enamel. These treatments can cause some individuals pain and discomfort that can last for a month or more.

But if you can deal with the sensitive teeth and gums associated with teeth whitening, you can enjoy a brighter smile much more quickly than if you use the brushing method.

If you can not deal with the pain and sensitive gums associated with most whitening processes, take heart – you still have options. There are a variety of whitener toothpastes available that can help whiten your teeth without breaking down the enamel. While it takes much longer and requires several brushings daily, you can begin to whiten your teeth just by making certain you take the time to brush your teeth. Avoiding smoking and drinks such as coffee will also help you keep your teeth whiter for longer.

Fortunately, thanks to the work and dedication of dentists and other health practitioners around the world, teeth whitening processes are becoming safer than ever before. Each new product aims at lowering the risks of cancer and discomfort so that these treatments can be a viable method of getting the smile you deserve without the side effects.