Sometimes it seems like there is an endless variety of products when it comes to teeth whitening. You make your way ever so slowly down the ‘oral care' section at the pharmacy and are virtually bombarded by teeth whitening choices: special toothpastes, bottles of polish, tubes of sticky bleach, press-on bleaching strips, a night-time tray to wear for two weeks. What is a well-intentioned, yellow-toothed person to do?

We've likely all made the decision to engage in some teeth-whitening activities at some point in our lives, but it's probably fair to say that in the case of tooth-bleaching products, variety is the gateway to disappointment. Inevitably, attached to many of these apparent miracle whiteners is a hefty price tag, and that just won't win out when we have no idea how to choose.

Many of us, after a good half an hour of perusal, will simply pick up the cheapest available product – or possibly the second least expensive product – and head to the cash register. Let's face it, we aren't shelling out our hard-earned cash on something that might prove completely useless. Better to leave with a cheap tube of whitening toothpaste and hope for the best.

In light of human nature and tendency towards common sense, it is best to approach the issue of teeth whitening with a basic knowledge of how the most common products should work. Depending on the level of success you are imagining, you may require a different product than someone else who may only want to brighten an already glittering smile.

The most successful whitening products will contain actual bleach, in varying degrees and ratios. Always keep in mind that bleach is a harsh chemical with the ability to damage sensitive nerves within your teeth – if the instructions say to leave on for 15 minutes, do as they say!

Products containing bleach are the most effective for removing stains, and will be priced a lot higher than some of the other whitening methods. Toothpastes and tooth polishes, for example, will be the cheapest options – this is for a reason. Both of these commonly used products have very little effect on badly stained teeth, and will instead enhance an already basically white set of teeth.

When choosing from the myriad of whitening products, think about two things: how badly do I want this to work? And how much is it worth to me?