What do Americans get for the $1.4 billion they spend on tooth whitening each year? Not so much. Some, according to BU Today, do get whiter teeth, some get mouth or gum problems, and some don’t get anything. The bad news, says Gennaro Cataldo, a Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine professor of general dentistry, is that teeth get darker with age. Cataldo says some whitening agents work, but they only work on healthy teeth, and to have healthy teeth you have to have healthy gums. Dentists (like himself) says Cataldo, have a few things that do work, and when it comes to over-the-counter products, Crest Whitestrips do a good job. Mouthwashes do not work, and under no circumstances should you try to bleach your teeth. That’s a very bad idea. Read more from BU Today.
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Sunday, June 1, 2025