Everyone will agree that this can also help in social and professional relationships. So you cannot really fault those people who rush into having these procedures. And if you are rushing into having your own sessions with your favorite dentist or you know someone who is planning to, it's best to hit the brakes first. But everyone should be reminded that there is more to the procedures that are performed in the dental office. There are other options as well available for many that can be performed and maintained in the comforts of the home. Examples of these options are the products that can be bought over-the-counter. Teeth whitening products are very affordable that customers sometimes overdo the practice that more may be better. It is not. Once the teeth arrive at its most natural white, no amount of teeth whitening will make it any whiter. From thence, a once-a-month touch up is enough for maintenance. Children up to sixteen years old is not recommended to have teeth whitening, so are pregnant women and lactating mothers. And since this is a new technology in the market, the cost of the procedure is still high and it will take some time before the actual costs can be lowered. But this current cost does not stop those who want to have whiter teeth and the practitioners offering this service. Right now, there are dentists that offer these services at reduced prices thus making these services affordable for the bigger set of consumers. What basically it does though is change the color of the teeth superficially. Not all teeth discoloration is superficial. The teeth could be stained from the inside that will show on the outside that will not go away no matter the strips, gels, whitening pastes, bleaching pens and gurgles done. For example, blood that has leeched inside a tooth will discolor it. In many of these services, the most common method that is used is the light therapy. This therapy makes the bleaching process faster and more effective. It is said that this process can lighten the shade of the teeth 10 times more than other whitening agents. And the nice thing about this process to whiten the teeth is that the effects can be there for around two years.