Once I began working in the dental industry, I realized that people do pay attention to how teeth look--whether they're straight or crooked, clean or stained, white or dingy. These features add to the first impression we have of others. Of course, they also tell other folks a lot about us.

That's the reason I decided to lighten my own teeth when I entered the sales profession. Naturally, I wanted to look my best to represent the products I sold. Fortunately, I always had good teeth. While not sparkling white, my teeth were pretty light and free of discolorations and stains. But, I thought they could look better.

My dentist (Dr. Dan Fischer of Sandy, Utah) suggested I try bleaching to see if we could bring up the color a bit, creating a brighter, more appealing smile. After a bleaching tray was custom-made for my mouth, I took it home with a 10 percent bleaching solution. I first used it on my upper teeth for six consecutive nights to get the results I wanted. However, I only needed to use the tray for four nights on my lower teeth. I was amazed to see that my teeth lightened up quite a bit--four shades, to be exact.

Although I had no real pain or discomfort, I did notice my lower teeth were slightly more sensitive to the bleaching process than my upper teeth. In addition, after the procedure I had a crown replaced so that it would match the color of my freshly lightened teeth. It was a small price to pay for such a beautiful new smile.

Not only am I delighted with the results, I also think it's the kind of procedure which could benefit many people. For one thing, whiter teeth project a more youthful look, so anyone who wants to drop a few years from their appearance should consider it. A whiter smile brightens up the entire face and attracts the eye. It really gives a terrific lift to your looks.