Teeth whitening at home is the process of using a store-bought kit to lighten the color of teeth. Teeth are naturally white when they first develop, but they naturally darken over time. Many people want to have that natural white smile look and over the past decade, a number of products have been put on the market to help people whiten their teeth at home.
In addition to naturally darkening with age due to changes in tooth enamel, some people see their teeth yellow over time due to their diet. Red wine and coffee along with cigarette smoking, can adversely affect the color of the teeth. Certain antibiotics can also affect the color of teeth, though it is rather difficult to reverse antibiotic-related discoloration.
There are dozens of whitening kits sold over the counter at stores. Most of them use one of two processes:
A gel is applied to the teeth that contains a hydrogen peroxide solution. This gel is held in place for a few minutes with plastic trays that fit around the teeth. These trays hold the gel in place and also protect the gums and soft tissues of the mouth from contact with the gel, which can burn the gums. After a few minutes, the trays are removed and the mouth is rinsed.