Whitening your teeth is becoming the new deodorant in hygiene.  Years ago deodorant was optional and now it is a must in polite society.  Teeth whitening is quickly approaching the same popularity.  However, it is still fairly new so the best methods and techniques are not widely known.  This article will give you some tips on deciding which home whitening method you should choose.

First, you must realize that nearly without exception all dental whitening systems will provide quicker and usually better results.  The home whitening methods will be more time consuming and will need a longer period of time to achieve the same results.

Next, each treatment is holding a peroxide solution next to your teeth.  You will find that the more times you use the treatment the better or whiter your results should be.  Hence, if you want you can continue the treatment until you achieve the desired whiteness.  Be careful.  If you continue the procedure too long, you may end up with an odd looking smile because it is possible to have your teeth too white.

The following are tips to use when deciding on which off the shelf whitening system to choose:

1.  Time to apply and wear
You will need to decide when you are going to apply your whitening kit.  This will effect what type of whitening kit you want to purchase.  You basically have three types of kits to choose from. 
  a. strips
  b. paint on gels
  c. tray gels
The strips can be applied and worn at any time, but in the evenings and during times you are not in public is suggested.  The paint on gels are not as noticeable, but you will not want to be eating or drinking immediately after you apply the gels.  The trays that come in the home kits are not custom made so they can also be somewhat bulky and you will not want to wear them in public.  Hence, if you decide to do your whitening during the day or while you are at work, you may want to consider using the paint on gels because they are most likely the product not to be noticed.

2.  Even application
You will want to achieve an even application for your teeth in order to get the most even whitening possible.  Trays hold the gel next to the teeth and so you will most likely get the best results if you have a good fitting tray.  The paint on gels will only get the areas you paint and you may also have areas where the painted gels wear off quicker and slower.  The strips prevent the gel from wearing off, but if you have oddly shaped teeth the strips may not reach all of the different areas of your teeth.

3.  Most powerful solution
You will want to pick the product that has the most powerful solution.  However, you may find this a little difficult to determine because most products will claim to be the most powerful.  You may want to ask your dentist or read some reviews to find the product that is the most powerful.  However, you can always reapply to achieve the whiteness you desire.

4.  Price
You often get what you pay for.  Hence, don't let price be your only concern.  However, by a little research you may find that products are very similar though they have very different prices.

5.  Comfort
You will also want to consider your comfort when deciding which method to chose.  Often trays can be a poor fit and wear in areas that are very uncomfortable.  Paints are probably the easiest while strips often have the best results.

In summary, you have many options to choose from both in methods and products.  You can find many reviews online when deciding which product to choose.  However, remember to consider your time, application method, solution effectiveness and comfort along with price.