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10 Things Your Dentist By WILLIAM MAULDIN AOL: 4. "No human being should have teeth this white."Over the past few years, an explosion of tooth-whitening products has hit drugstore shelves, promising brilliant, made-for-TV smiles for all. But some dentists worry that the long-term effects of these chemical whiteners are unknown. "No one quite knows what's being taken off the tooth," says Reg Moncrieff, a New York City dentist. "It's possible that bleaching takes something from the tooth that you might want later." Most over-the-counter products contain hydrogen peroxide and other bleaching agents; these unstable compounds release oxygen, which whitens the teeth over time. You'll get much faster results at a clinic, where high-intensity light acts as a catalyst when applied to far heavier concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. This route not only costs more (roughly $400), but it also exposes your mouth to more chemicals and heat, which can damage teeth. "The safest technique is the one that takes the longest," Moncrieff says. Whatever method you choose, check with your dentist first: Certain types of discoloration don't respond well to bleaching and could leave you with a two-tone smile. Dr. JPM: To these points I have almost no objections. When discussing bleaching with my patients who ask about it (I rarely suggest it), I'll always hold the sleeve of my official white doctor's jacket up to my own teeth and say "Teeth are not white." Natural, healthy looking teeth are a bit yellow, a bit gray, and a bunch of other trace colors. The false idols to which we aspire, our media-fabricated sensations, have generally had a lot of dental work to get their teeth looking so perfect. Look at Cher's teeth, circa "Sonny and Cher Show" and then look at her teeth now. Lots of work to get those flaring laterals back into alignment.
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