Teeth whitening procedures vary in accessibility and price. It used to be that dentists were the ones solely knowledgeable in the process of teeth whitening, but the popularity of teeth whitening toothpastes have made the practice easily achievable by anyone.

I. Toothpastes

Teeth whitening toothpaste has been proven to work since a popular whitening toothpaste has been proven to achieve a record of 1.5 shades of whitening improvement after only a month of being used. The problem lies on the teeth itself and how much the bearer of the teeth will be as eager to support and contribute to the cause of his or her own teeth whitening. Be realistic. Teeth whitening toothpastes work, but teeth turned pristine white need to be kept white, the same way that newly-washed cars need to be regularly kept clean, and newly-bleached white clothes need to be kept away from chocolate, grease or dirt.

II. Teeth Discoloration

1. Basic Tooth Color

In all races, culture, and in different kinds of people, tooth color is just as similarly varied. There are numerous shades of white existing not just in the palette of nature but also in the teeth of humans. No specific color or shade exists that determines it to be the one color that would rule them all. Although some persons teeth are naturally brighter than the others, this is no cause for alarm. Teeth whitening toothpastes whiten to a lighter degree the shades of ones teeth, but no two shades are alike, one could be better or not so better than the other.

2. Discoloration Agents Abound

They are everywhere, agents of discoloration surround every person and each tooth which in turn create - if not wreak havoc - on ones pearly whites. The amount of discoloration a teeth would have really depends on how consistent their exposure is to these discoloration agents. And they are so easily accessible: from coffees, dark sodas to red wine. These all bring darkening of the teeth, voluntarily or involuntarily. It all depends on the teeths owner and how much he or she could regulate the intake of these elements. But the major source of teeth discoloration is through smoking. Cigarettes stain the teeth as well as leave a not so healthy stain on the lungs, mouth and throat, but that is another story.

3. Tetracycline exposure

Children aged eight years old and below who were given antibiotics which contained tetracycline were found to possess a yellowish brown as well as a bluish grey staining on their teeth when they grew up as adults. Tetracycline has therefore been attributed to this problem and so have been prevented from being given to children during the formative years of tooth growth.

4. Too Much Flouride

Fluorosis is a condition that causes a chalky-white as well as a brown tooth staining. This is caused by too much ingestion of fluoride during an age where children, usually below five years old, mostly swallow all the toothpaste placed on their toothbrushes. Children at this young an age should be guided on how to appropriately brush the teeth to avoid further teeth discoloration problem in the future.

5. Gum Recession

Teeth will appear dark in some people who have receding gums in one or more teeth. The reason for this is that the surface of teeth are not covered by enamel but by dentin. Dentin is a dark material that occurs in the teeth ordinarily. Teeth whitening toothpaste may have difficulty whitening teeth stained by a naturally-occurring element in the mouth, but it could try.

6. Old Age

Though teeth can be cleaned white and be prevented from turning dark or discolored, old age cannot. There are people whose teeth color turned to a darker shade as they grew in age and matured. Yellowing is common in most teeth.