Do you have any idea why people look at your teeth? Immediately, you think of your smile. But it's actually more than that. A large part of the attraction has to do with the whiteness of your teeth.

You probably know by now that there are lots of things you can do to make your teeth whiter and many techniques can be purchased over the counter. All of this merchandise and the whitening techniques used by dentists demand using bleach on the teeth. Some whitening procedures even employ the use of lasers and lights on your teeth.

In the Richmond whitening process, the dentist makes trays just right to fit your teeth exactly and then uses a precise amount of bleach. That way, the bleach stays where it belongs — on your teeth, not the gums. The whitening can be done in the dentist's office or by you at home. Those fancy lights used by others aren't used in the Richmond whitening process because they achieve the whitening by drying out your teeth. And even though it makes your teeth look really white while you're at the dentist's, once the moisture returns to your teeth, the shade will not be as white and then you'll see what the shade "really" is.

Technically it is peroxide that is the bleaching agent in the tooth whitening process. If there is an excess amount of peroxide, your gums might react sensitively. The longer a chemical lays on tissue, the deeper it reaches so peroxide can sear your tissue if it's not used properly. To prevent this, the tooth whitening Richmond procedure doesn't leave the peroxide on the teeth for long periods of time. And because of the way the tray is made, you can know that your gums won't be the part of your mouth getting soaked.

You can continue the whitening process at home, putting your trays in twice a day for an hour. It is suggested, though, that you shouldn't be whitening your teeth at night. Also, you should know that if you are getting the Richmond whitening done when you see the dentist, then you can expect that about half of your old shade will return within six months. But you can get the most of the procedure at home, and in order to do that, it's really obligatory for you to spend the time you need to at home to ensure that at the end of the process that proper shade of white has returned.