We all want to have picture perfect teeth.

Images of Hollywood's perfect figures and flawless teeth are plastered everywhere you look and add to the desire.

With the amount of teeth whitening products out there, it isn't hard to achieve that perfect smile, but can obsessing over those pearly whites be dangerous?

Teeth whitening has become a trend that has everyone smiling.

The over-the-counter products are easy to buy and easy to use.

Those pearly whites can be also achieved by seeing a dentist.

Dr. Daniel Simon DMD says, "Most people when they come to the dentist office, they're in a range of yellow to gray teeth. That's very normal because of people's diet."

Simon also says, "We actually make models of your teeth and send you home with trays and gel."

That can take about two weeks before you notice a difference.

For a quicker fix to your whitening woes, Dr. Simon says a one hour procedure will do the trick.

"The solution we're using today is called the zoom process. We're using 25% hydrogen peroxide and it's actually bleaching the teeth," explains Dr. Simon.

"Its been shown that you can improve anywhere from five to eight shades on average," says Dr. Simon.

Chris Richmond is a teeth whitening virgin, but after an hour of sitting in the dentist chair, his teeth will be significantly brighter.

Richmond says, "I used to smoke and I had a little bit of discoloration and I wanted to take care of that."

"Chris is actually an A2 when he came in today, which is what I have in my hand," states Dr. Simon.

"So when Chris leaves today he should be at the bleaching stage at the far right."

Obsessing about a flawless smile can have its side effects.

"Sensitivity of your teeth and you can have gum irritation," says Dr. Simon.

"The hydrogen peroxide can leach onto the gums and turn your gums a white color but that doesn't mean it's going to have an irreversible effect."

Dr. Simon says no matter what avenue you take to whitening perfection, if you overdo it your teeth could take on a bluish tint.

"Most of the blueness people see are because their teeth are getting so whitened there's trans-illumination of the light showing through the enamel," he says.

They may not turn out to be as blue as Dr. Simon's shirt, but The effect is irreversible.

"The bluish nature that people are experiencing are usually more common with the bleachorexics. People who are obsessed with it and use it all the time."

Richmond says, "I don't plan on taking it that far as far as whitening my teeth."

Dr. Simon says the worst thing you can after getting the zoom is abuse the trays.

"If he wanted to get the blue translucent effect he would get the zoom and go home and use the trays probably for the next six
months. He would have to do it everyday for hours."

Dr. Simon says Richmond will only need to touch up with the trays every few months, because now his teeth are sparkling white.

"It's pretty dramatic," says Richmond.

They'll stay that way and Chris can keep on smiling, as long as he listens to Dr. Simon.

"I'll use his recommendation and pretty much use them as I should. I don't want to overdo it and have blue teeth," says Richmond.

Dr. Simon says the over-the-counter whitening products aren't as effective as dental procedures, but they are the easiest, safest, and cheapest way to whiten your teeth.

If you're wondering how whitening toothpaste measures up, Dr. Simon says no one has ever had dramatic whitening results by just brushing their teeth.