When it comes to having the perfect, Instagram-worthy smile, you need to make sure that your teeth are as straight as possible by either getting traditional metal braces or Invisalign. In addition to having straight teeth, though, you should also make sure that your teeth are as white as possible. But, how can you tell if you should invest in office professional whitening or if you should just buy some over the counter products? Read on to learn a little bit more about these two options. 

At-Home Whitening

At-home whitening usually includes things like whitening strips and whitening toothpaste. If you just have mild surface stains caused by things like coffee or black tea, then an at-home whitening solution may do the trick. Typically, the main ingredient in these whitening products is hydrogen peroxide which is a natural way to whiten your teeth and get rid of mild surface stains. The great thing about at-home whitening is that it's affordable and you can also use it to do touch-ups whenever you need to, even if you just got your teeth professionally whitened. 

Professional Whitening

If you have already tried at-home whitening and haven't been successful, then you know that professional whitening is for you. Usually, dentists offer one of two types of whitening including professional bleaching trays, which you will put in your mouth at night, or laser whitening which works to target the top layer of your teeth. Even though professional whitening can't get rid of all stains on teeth (like those caused by tetracycline) it is really good at targeting those who have a lot of stains and have always wanted a whiter smile but have never been able to get it. 

The thing about teeth whitening is that it depends on just how stained and damaged your teeth are. If you aren't sure what kind of route you should take, then make sure that you schedule a whitening consultation with a dentist that you trust. Usually, a professional dentist will be able to look at your teeth and determine if you will get good results with an at-home option or if your teeth are so stained that you would benefit more from professional whitening. Also, make sure that you consider how much money you want to spend when it comes to whitening as cosmetic dentistry is often not covered by dental insurance. 

Contact a dentist today, like Pike Dentistry, to learn more.