When overseen and administered by your dentist, professional teeth whitening should never cause damage to your teeth. By using the proper whitening products and minimizing the amount of time the whitening agent is in contact with your teeth, your dentist can ensure that you don’t over-whiten your smile. ‍ Over-whitening your teeth can result in permanent damage, as the peroxide-based whiteners used can weaken the enamel if they are used improperly, or too frequently. For this reason, it’s best to avoid over-the-counter teeth whitening kits from questionable sources, as they may contain dangerously-high levels of peroxide.  If you don’t want to turn to your dentist for professional teeth whitening services, but still desire a brighter smile, keep an eye out for ADA-approved whitening products like Crest Whitestrips. By sticking to ADA-approved products, you can ensure that you are using a teeth-whitener with relatively low concentrations of peroxide, lowering the risk of enamel damage from over-whitening.