Contemplating tweaking the look of my teeth I asked my dentist about professional whitening. She said she could do it but didn't recommend it in my case.

I have tetracycline staining, my teeth glow a nice yellow under black lights, and hyperplasia. My teeth have a slight yellow tinge that the bleaching won't touch and are a bit softer and subject to chipping because their grain is not straight. A developmental issue. Peroxide bleaching tends to weaken teeth. It isn't so much that people with normal teeth have to worry about but the dentist pointed out that I wouldn't see much actual whitening and I need to hang onto all the structural integrity I can.

She recommended that if I wanted prettier teeth to avoid chemical whitening and go directly to veneers. After she told me what they cost, per tooth, I declined. I was glad I was sitting at the time.

She told me that my teeth are strong and, outside cosmetic coloration, in good condition for my age. Which I figure is good enough.

In a survival context it is pretty important that you keep your teeth in good shape if not as pretty as they might be. There are real and important health consequences for poorly maintained teeth. Heart conditions have been partially linked to an increased risk of infected or inflamed gums. And you don't want to get into an emergency situation with a bad tooth that distracts you, doesn't allow you to sleep when you need to or makes eating a problem.