Shiny white teeth can enhance a persons looks more than many other beauty treatments and often they are the first area that the makeover teams target on their television shows. Aside from having major teeth reconstruction, simply whitening your teeth can make you look considerably younger. As we age our teeth tend to become discolored and stained from food, coffee, tea and smoking. Tooth whitening is a very simple method that can help reduce the ravages of time and should be the first step to adding a new look to your face. There are several different methods of teeth whitening. The most basic method of tooth whitening is with the regular brushing of your teeth with tooth whitening toothpaste. This is a very mild method of tooth whitening and will take considerable time to reduce the discoloration of teeth that have been stained for many years. It is also the cheapest method of tooth whitening as the cost of tooth whitening toothpaste is only slightly higher than comparable standard toothpastes. A more effective method of tooth whitening is achieved at the dentists where a mold will be taken of your teeth. Once the mold is made you add tooth whitening gel inside the mold and place it on your teeth for an hour or two each day. After a relatively short time using this technique there will be a noticeable change in the color of your teeth as the gel bleaches away the stain. The main ingredient in all these teeth whitening processes is peroxide, which effectively bleaches the enamel and dentin of the teeth. An alternative method to teeth whitening, although somewhat more expensive is the application of porcelain veneers. This is a very costly and time-consuming procedure and it is best to seek advice from your dentist to determine whether this is the right solution for your needs.