You must have a check up with your dentist. The dentist should review your medical history, allergies to any of the ingredients in the whitening products and pathologies that could be causing the darkening of the teeth. Cavities must be located and treated before whitening. Fillings and Crowns should be identified and recorded since these do not whiten. Tooth Discoloration and history of tooth sensitivity must be investigated in order to determine the type, length, additional treatments and outcome. This information and your expectations should be discussed at the dental visit to determine what kind of whitening system is best for you.
There are 4 categories in the tooth whitening market: professionally applied (dental-office), dentist-prescribed/dispensed (patient-home-use), consumer-purchased/over the counter (applied by patients) and other non-dental options (mall kiosks, spa settings, etc).
Even if you decide to go for an over the counter system or non-dental option, your dentist should help you decide which one to buy and monitor the process. Most of these products contain hydrogen peroxide and some carbamide peroxide in lower percentages. Safety issues have been raised regarding the effects of bleaching on the tooth structure, pulp tissues, gums, tissues of the mouth and systemic ingestion. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not classified these products since in the early 90's the proposal of regulating the peroxide-based bleaching materials as drugs was challenged legally by the manufacturers.
A professional assessment and supervision will reduce the risk of patients selecting and using inferior products, inappropriate applications procedures and product abuse. If you want a white smile this winter without pain and suffering, consider calling your dentist before you purchase a whitening product at your local pharmacy or mall.
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