Special Section
In Pursuit of Pearly Whites
There are many ways to brighten your smile—we break down all the options.
By Abigail Green — September 2025
The desire for pearly white teeth dates back to the ancient Romans. Associated with beauty, youth, and wealth, whiter teeth were achieved at that time by applying a mixture of urine and goat milk. In 2025, teeth whitening remains one of the most popular aesthetic dental procedures, though it’s now more commonly done (thank goodness) with hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, according to the American Dental Association (ADA).
Today, anyone seeking a whiter smile can choose from toothpaste, topical gels, white strips, in-office procedures, take-home bleaching trays, and more. With all these options, where should you start? With the help of local dentists, we break it down for you.
Start over the counter
The good news, says Charlie Ward, DDS, is that most of us can start with over-the-counter (OTC) products. “For people with normal teeth who may have some staining and may just need a little bit of brightening, an over-the-counter solution like a Crest Whitestrip or something similar can often be effective.”
You can, however, skip the whitening toothpaste. “Toothpaste doesn’t really do anything for whitening,” says Ward, a dentist at Baltimore Dental Arts in Lake Falls Village. The whitening effect occurs from the contact of the hydrogen peroxide on the tooth over a period of time. Toothpaste would have to contain a high enough concentration of hydrogen peroxide and stay on the teeth for 15-30 minutes to see any effect, he explains, adding, “We actually don’t recommend people use the whitening toothpastes because they tend to be very abrasive.” If someone has bonding or veneers, whitening toothpaste can damage the glaze. And in the case of gum recession, it can scratch exposed roots of the teeth and make these areas even more sensitive.
The truth about natural teeth
Here’s where teeth whitening gets tricky, though: It only works on natural teeth. So, if you have any tooth-colored restorations—say, composite bonding for a chipped tooth, or porcelain veneers—bleaching will not change the color of that tooth.
Speaking of natural teeth, Ward has some bad news for anyone hoping to get their teeth as snowwhite as a TV anchor or celebrity: “Most of those teeth are porcelain, they’re not real.”
Another important thing to know is that everyone’s natural tooth color—and therefore, the color they can achieve through whitening treatments—is different. The ADA explains the difference between extrinsic, or surface color, and intrinsic, or the internal color of your teeth.
The outer surface of your tooth can be discolored by stains from smoking; drinking coffee or red wine; or exposure to certain metals, such as iron or copper. Many OTC whitening products work well on these surface stains, but they won’t change your natural tooth color.
Deep or intrinsic discoloration comes from the inside of your tooth. This is caused by several factors, including genetics, antibiotic or fluoride use as a child, dental injuries or silver fillings, and aging. As we get older, our tooth enamel gets thinner, so the naturally yellow layer underneath shows through more.
That said, most of us will see results from teeth whitening. “The color of our teeth generally comes from the inside layer,” Ward explains. “And for about 80 percent of the population, that’s more in the yellowy range. Those teeth tend to bleach pretty well. But if your inside color is more in the gray/brown range, you don’t get that ‘pop’ that you get from someone with that yellow chroma in their teeth.”
In a hurry? Try in-office treatments
If you’re looking for more significant or faster whitening results, seeking out a dentist who offers dental bleaching is the way to go. They will assess your specific teeth and provide a customized solution. A recent survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry found the average cost for teeth whitening under the guidance of a dentist was around $500.
Generally, there are two choices—an in-office option and a take-home option. For the in-office procedure, the dentist coats your teeth with a higher concentration bleaching solution, taking care to protect the gums. An LED or blue light may be used to activate the solution. After 30 to 60 minutes, the dentist will rinse your teeth.
The second option is fitting patients with custom trays—think clear retainers—that you take home and load with a syringe of hydrogen peroxide gel and wear for 15 to 30 minutes each night for two weeks.
In-office bleaching can yield instant results, but it can causes tooth sensitivity. For that reason, Ward’s practice now offers only the take-home option, with different concentrations of bleach for different sensitivities. “The research shows us that someone who’s bleached every night at home has the same result after two weeks as the person who’s done the in-office bleaching,” he notes.
To achieve the best results , consistency and maintenance are key, says Ward. “You may need to bleach for two to three days every 6 to 12 months in order to maintain the lighter color.”