Whitening your teeth is not a new concept and it is something that has been used throughout the ages, particularly by the upper class. While original formulas included things like nitric acid, pumice and human urine among other ingredients, teeth whiting products these days are far more benign, yet still effective.

For celebrities, tooth whitening is part of their preparation for their job. While some go so far as to have cosmetic surgery to improve their faces, it's far more common to hear about celebrities getting their teeth whitened.

There are a large number of treatments available for teeth whitening. You can buy over the counter products like strips or paint on type whiteners. These are all regulated, though, and tend not to be nearly as effective as those used by the dentists. Which is why you'll never hear about celebrities doing those home kits.

When you are rich and famous, only the best tooth whitening techniques will do and most celebrities opt for the more expensive options, which usually means near-instant, as well. High end tooth whitening techniques like laser whitening are the most popular among the stars who have money. These treatments may be a little out of reach for the average person on the street, but that's why dentists offer other options, often somewhat less effective, though easier on the wallet.

Why Celebrities Need Tooth Whitening

When it's your job to look hot onscreen, you need to have a dazzling smile. For celebrities, no matter what point they are at in their career, their teeth are a very important part of whether or not they get a job.

Many celebrities also drink coffee and smoke, both of which are quite bad for your teeth. They tend to stain the teeth and this is often only reversible with some fairly heavy duty tooth whitening. Unfortunately, these stain issues aren't limited to celebs and even ordinary people will find that their teeth tend to yellow with time and their diet. The majority of people don't have to beat out other shining smiles to get a job, though, which is why tooth whitening has become so very popular among the rich and famous.

It's hard work being famous and celebs these days have stiff competition. They have to stay in shape and look great and a huge part of that is having a perfect smile. Tooth whitening has become a bit of a status symbol as well.

The Downside to Celebrity Tooth Whitening

Some celebrities, have gone above and beyond and come out with teeth that are almost too white. Dentists agree that pure white teeth are not a good idea, unless you want your teeth to dominate the face. Instead, the goal should be to lighten teeth to the same shade as the whites of the eyes for more natural look. However, this is often too dark for many people's tastes.

Since tooth whitening can actually weaken the tooth enamel, particularly if the stains are very bad, many celebrities end up with weaker teeth as a result. Many stars opt to have their teeth whitened on a regular basis, rather than change their eating and drinking habits. These repeated whitenings can actually have a bad effect on their teeth and if they aren't careful, celebrities wishing for that perfect smile could end up needing veneers to cover the damage done by too many harsh bleaching.

Celebrities and tooth whitening go hand in hand. With the need to look great onscreen, Hollywood stars will probably be using tooth whitening techniques for generations to come.