Teeth whitening

[NeatFreak]

Has anybody had their teeth whitened?
I'm curerntly considering it and am totally bamboozled by all the information i have found- home kits, lasering, etc etc. Or do I just stick to normal whitening toothpaste (which hasn't helped thus far)
Does anyone know what ACTUALLY works? Realistic costs would be appreciated too

I'm a dentist and would say that all the whitening toothpastes on the market at the moment just really remove surface staining. So they won't change the actual colour of your teeth. Hygienists can also remove surface staining such as tea, coffee and wine stains. However if you want to change to actual colour of your teeth then you are looking at professional whitening. At a dental practice this often involves having moulds taken of your teeth from which trays are made that fit your teeth and then you Have a gel that you use nightly in the moulds. Results are generally very good but can cause sensitivity of the teeth albeit usually temporarily. This option can easily cost £300 and above.

I had mine done via the dentist, who made silicon moulds. It took less than 2 weeks, yes it made my teeth sensitive but not unbearably so. I have read all the teeth whitening threads on here and the general consenus is usually this works best long term. I usually top mine up once or twice a year, takes 2 or 3 goes for them to be gleaming again. I have had so many compliments about it, it was well worth the £250 (that was 3 years ago). I think my teeth stay white because I don't drink tea or red wine.