The rage these days (or, rather, one of the many rages these days) seems to be the procurement and maintenance of whiter and whiter teeth. Everyone wants that Hollywood smile, everyone wants too look like a movie star and have a smile like an unexpected gleam of starlight. It's a perfectly understandable desire, considering how attractive a white smile is. We've all seen those people who are attractive in every single way but one-their teeth. Like those old British film actors who were so gorgeous and suave and then they laughed and everyone left the theatre. The guy they thought was a silver-tongued ladies' man turned out, on closer inspection, to be a werewolf. Etc.!
    OK, we've established the fact that white teeth are attractive. They're like the last, small, crucial element in your ideal image of yourself. To use one more analogy, have you ever been to the opera (or something) and seen one of those guys who's dressed to the nines, I mean he's in this stunning suit, he ripples when he walks, it's like he was born in the suit, it's as natural and smooth and fitted as his tanned skin, and then you look down and see a pair of old scuffy wingtips that curl up at the toes like something an elf would wear? And the whole image collapses, the mirror shatters, the illusion vanishes in a puff of smoke? Suddenly he's this sort of hapless, pathetic guy who got lucky when he decided to overspend on a suit, never realizing that an ensemble, to be effective, has to also be complete?
    These days, people are thinking of their teeth as snazzy dressers think of their shoes.
    Alright, that said, let's consider the question of off the shelf tooth whitening systems. How should you choose an off the shelf tooth whitening system? Which off the shelf tooth whitening systems are safe? Which off the shelf tooth whitening systems will actually damage my teeth? Are expensive off the shelf tooth whitening systems expensive for a reason? Are generic off the shelf teeth whitening systems generic for a reason? Can I use an off the shelf tooth whitening system as often as I'd use one prescribed by my dentist? And so on. The questions whirl around one.
    BECAUSE, of course, your teeth are for more than just beauty. You have to be able to eat. You don't want to whiten your teeth in the name of beauty only to discover later than they're now hypersensitive, brittle, and in danger of falling out altogether. That would be an irony indeed.
    The first thing to know when considering off the shelf tooth whitening systems is that you'll want to get the best and soundest advice possible. And who's the most likely to give you sound advice regarding off the shelf tooth whitening systems? That's right, your dentist, or a dentist. Before buying and using an off the shelf tooth whitening system, try to see a dentist. Get his or her opinion first. Off the shelf tooth whitening systems can be used effectively, but more often than not people misuse them to the detriment of their teeth. They're too eager for a white smile, they use the off the shelf tooth whitening systems too often or too intensely. Or, they use the wrong ones. Some off the shelf tooth whitening systems are about as subtle as acid. So, go see a dentist before spreading that stuff on your teeth. Don't give yourself a homemade facelift, in other words, before conferring with a plastic surgeon.
    The second general tip about choosing off the shelf tooth whitening systems has to do with research. When choosing amongst off the shelf tooth whitening systems, you need to do your homework. Thank heaven, then, for the Internet! The Internet teems with reviews of off the shelf tooth whitening systems. Learn about the experiences of other consumers with Product X before you try to use Product X yourself. Find out which off the shelf tooth whitening systems are most popular, and find out the reasons why.
    This combination, professional advice mixed with the testimonials of fellow consumers, should give you a great foundation on which to start exploring the question of off the shelf tooth whitening systems.