It could shade darker as the person grows older, perfectly normal. While the darkening of the teeth as it ages is mainly due to the changes in the teeth's mineral structure, the enamel at the same time gets less porous and less shiny making it more susceptible to stains from bacterial pigments, medication, tobacco, wine, coffee, tea and food. In-Office Teeth Whitening Common Procedures to Expect This procedure is also known as power whitening. This is so because in-office bleaching methods have more bleaching concentration than that which is offered over the counter thereby producing faster results. In-office tooth bleaching is also the safest. Except when there is a special tooth and gum problem, where the teeth is prone to hypersensitivity and where the gum is easily irritated, over the counter teeth whitening ranks among the safest in cosmetic enhancement. Teeth whitening gels, strips, pens, gurgles and other treatments are generally designed for self help and the mix is generally very mild. For this set of bleaching agents, the usual recommendation is to use twice daily and the waiting time can reach two weeks before the effects can be realized. In terms of price, expect to pay $3 to $10 for teeth whitening toothpastes. And for other bleaching formulations, some over the counter products can fetch around $30. And what you do after is to religiously brush your teeth as recommended by the manufacturer of the product. The other way is the simplest. You get the services of the professional that offers professional teeth whitening services. This is the most cost-effective way of managing your teeth without having to wait for weeks for results. 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. Teeth whitening products normally have counter indications printed at the label. Veneers, crowns and fillings and some repairs to the tooth will not be bleached.