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A white, bright smile is an important accessory for any face. But while most toothpaste includes particles of silica or aluminum oxide to grind away surface stains, they can't clear up long-term, persistent staining. Professional teeth bleaching—bleaching gel that is obtained from a dentist—can brighten discolored teeth.

There are two ingredients that can be used to bleach teeth - hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. Both compounds are oxidizing agents that break down stain-causing molecules on the teeth.

Because dentists are certified to use a more concentrated bleaching gel, professional procedures like BriteSmile and Zoom whitening can whiten teeth more quickly. By comparison, kits for do-it-yourself teeth bleaching contain only up to 5 percent hydrogen and 10 percent carbamide peroxide, whereas dentists can use 10 to 35 percent hydrogen peroxide. A higher dosage is necessary when carbamide is used, since it is slightly weaker.