That Hollywood Smile

Many aging boomers, and those even younger, are looking in the mirror and not seeing the smile of their youth. Tea, dark alcohol, cigarettes, genetics can all cost you your pearly whites.

For some who long for a "Hollywood smile," porcelain veneers can restore a lighter shade, if you can afford up to $900 or more for a single tooth.

Many, though, are opting for a less expensive route: teeth bleaching.

An article published by www.Prevention.com lists bleaching's dangers. For one, if you have a crack or a cavity and the bleaching chemical gets inside your tooth - we're talking pain! Next stop: root canal.

A "power bleach" with lights at the dentist's office can brighten up your smile in just an hour, the article reports, but can also result in a "shade rebound" of a couple shades a week after treatment. The bleach strips the teeth of a protective shield and makes them much more prone to staining. Recommended: no dark drinks like coffee or tea or staining foods for at least 24 hours after a power bleach.

With any bleaching, some people wind up with a permanent blueish cast to their teeth. Others regress to their original shade so fast that they overuse prescribed or drugstore bleaching - upping their risk of having the sort of pain that leads to root canals. Professionals advise: Start with a healthy mouth. No cracks. No unfilled cavities. No receding gums.

If you've gone the veneers route, or you have a cap or crown, you're not a candidate, because tooth enamel and veneers don't bleach the same, and the result is a "patchwork" smile.

That's not to say bleaching works for no one. In 2004, it was the most requested dental procedure for those ages 40 to 60. After two weeks of prescription or over-the-counter bleaching, many see improvement of at least five shades. Power bleaching's effect can last a year or more, while ordinary bleaching typically needs to be "touched up" every six weeks. The temptation for many is to touch up more often when teeth start to look dark again, despite the risk of searing pain.