White teeth, at one time, were a rarity, with a vast array of tooth colors to be found from mouth to mouth all being more within the “off white” shading family. Today, however, that is just not the case. Just about everywhere you go and with most of the folks you encounter, they have ultra white teeth. Now, white teeth have always been a highly prized quality, but in the days before the large array of teeth whitening processes and options were available to the public, you just didn’t see that many uber bright spaces between the parting of most lips.

Limited Whitening Options Back in the Day
In the days prior to prevalent teeth whitening resources, individuals wanting to reveal brilliance with every opening of the mouth and every smile had the option of covering their teeth with laminates that were bright white, and that was about the extent of it. There was one woman who desperately wanted to have sparkly white teeth (and there may have been more, sadly,) who went to dangerous and extreme measures to produce white teeth. This woman went to her dentist for her regular six-month checkup and cleaning. After her teeth had been cleaned and her examination was completed, she promptly picked up her pocketbook, reached in and extracted a bottle of White Out and an electric hair dryer. She next proceeded to paint all of her teeth with the White Out, drying them section by section as she went with the hair dryer.

Closeup of a beautiful smile and white teeth.

Avoiding a Toxic Fail
If you are wondering about how the final result looked, your first guess would probably be correct. While most people understand that there are products that are certainly not intended for human consumption or to be used on the teeth, some do end up making mistakes. However, those of us who are, can be thankful that there are many tooth whitening products that are highly effective and affordable, too.

Affordable Options
Used widely in the theatre, Kryolan makes a tooth enamel product and sells it for around $8 that can be painted on the teeth to temporarily change their color. Their line includes a bright white. The product can be removed with alcohol. White Light is a kit that includes a teeth whitening gel, tooth tray and whitening light. For only $5.96, and it receives five-star reviews. $7.99 will buy you the Plus White 5 Minute Premier Speed Whitening Kit, which is easy to use, comfortable and fast. And Listerine sells a line of various strength teeth whitening mouth rinses. For around $7.50, you can purchase their Healthy White Gentle Sodium Fluoride Anticavity Mouthrinse, which receives five stars and is extra gentle on your teeth.