Once upon a time, the color of a person’s teeth really did not matter unless they were royalty. And even then, it often was of no importance. Stained and rotten teeth were simply what was expected and no one was judged for it. Today, however, a person’s teeth make a huge impression. It would be nearly impossible to get hired for a decent job with rotten or severely stained teeth. And to be considered for a more prestigious job, a person must usually have glistening white teeth. Bad teeth reflect lack of discipline and poor character in today’s society.
Thankfully, there are now many ways available to whiten one’s teeth. They range from simple at home remedies to expensive medical procedures. teeth whitening has become commonplace among much of the world, especially those in the media. You would be hard pressed to find an actor or news anchor who has not artificially whitened their teeth.

Whitening Systems:
1) Whitening Toothpastes-
All toothpastes help remove surface stains, because they contain mild abrasives. Some whitening toothpastes contain gentle polishing or chemical agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Whitening toothpastes can help remove surface stains only and do not contain bleach; over-the-counter and professional whitening products contain carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide that helps lighten the color deep in the tooth. Whitening toothpastes can lighten the tooth's color by about one shade. In contrast, light-activated whitening conducted in your dentist's office can make your teeth three to eight shades lighter.

2) Over-the-Counter Whitening Strips and Gels-
Whitening gels are clear, peroxide-based gels applied with a small brush directly to the surface of your teeth. Instructions generally call for twice a day application for 14 days. Initial results are seen in a few days and final results are sustained for about four months.
Whitening strips are very thin, virtually invisible strips that are coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel. The strips are applied twice daily for 30 minutes for 14 days. Initial results are seen in a few days and final results are sustained for about four months.
Whitening Rinses -Among the newest whitening products available are whitening rinses. Like most mouthwashes, they freshen breath and help reduce dental plaque and gum disease. But these products also include ingredients, such as hydrogen peroxide, which whiten teeth. Manufacturers say it may take 12 weeks to see results. You just swish them around in your mouth for 60 seconds twice a day before brushing your teeth. However, some experts say that rinses may not be as effective as other over-the-counter whitening products. Because a whitening rinse is only in contact with the teeth for such a short time -- just two minutes a day compared to 30 minutes for many strips -- it may have less of an effect.

4) Tray-Based Tooth Whiteners- At home whitening-
Tray-based tooth whitening systems, purchased either over-the-counter or from a dentist, involve filling a mouth guard-like tray with a gel whitening solution -- which contains a peroxide-bleaching agent. The tray is worn for a period of time, generally from a couple of hours a day to every day during the night for up to four weeks and even longer (depending on the degree of discoloration and desired level of whitening).

5) In-Office Whitening-At the dental clinic- ONE HOUR WHITENING !!!
In-office bleaching provides the quickest way to whiten teeth. With in-office bleaching, the whitening product is applied directly to the teeth. These products can be used in combination with heat, a special light, and/or a laser. Results are seen in only one, 30- to 60-minute treatment. But to achieve dramatic results maximum 1-2 appointments are needed. However, with in-office bleaching, dramatic results can be seen after the first treatment.

AIMS:The objective of the study was to evaluate the periodontal health status among cigarette smokers and non cigarette smokers, and oral hygiene measures.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 400 male (200 cigarette smokers and 200 non smokers) aged 18-65 years. The subjects were randomly selected from the patients attending dental out-patient department of civil hospital and Himachal Dental College, Sundernagar. Community Periodontal Index (CPI) score was recorded for each patient and a questionnaire was completed by each patient. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chi square and t-test. RESULTS: Periodontal condition as assessed by CPI score showed that there was statistically significant difference in the findings between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Within the limits of this study, positive association was observed between periodontal disease and cigarette smoking. It was found that cigarette smoking was associated with lesser gingival bleeding and deeper pockets as compared to non-smokers.