Special Report: Hidden Dangers Of Teeth Whitening

We've all seen them - teeth so white you either can't stand looking at them or can't stop!

"I have been bleaching for over 15 years," Michelle Mooney said.

Cinthia Ane and Michelle Mooney admit they're hooked.

"Love it, do it all the time," Cinthia Ane said.

Teeth whitening is really the biggest thing in cosmetics these days.

So what's your whitener of choice? Do you go for trays, toothpaste, strips or paint-on products? Perhaps you go for stronger formulas from dentists.

"People want their teeth white because they see newscasters and movie actors and they have really white teeth," Dentist Dr. Sokoloff said.

Yet self-proclaimed addicts are unable to quit -- even after finding themselves in pain.

"I don't know how to describe it other than just a sharp pain when you drink specially cold more than hot," Ane said.

Here's the problem -- these products contain peroxide, which is good, unless it's over used -- then it's bad.

"If those products are abused you can cause damage to the teeth," Dentist Dr. Thomas Connelly said.

Too much peroxide can break down enamel leading to tooth and root sensitivity, bleeding gums and stomachaches.

"I was very nauseous the next day, and I couldn't figure out why and then it hit me that it was probably because I fell asleep with the trays," Cinthia Ane said.

Even in the hands of a professional you need to be careful. Your teeth may naturally be more sensitive to whitening products.

The solutions that we have in some cases are sometimes 10 to 20 times stronger than what’s offered at various store products.

Cinthia and Michelle have curtailed their use, but have no intention of kicking this habit.

"I intend to do it forever, as long as I can," Ane said.

When people meet you they look at your eyes and then your smile, the brighter the prettier, the better. I love it," Mooney said.

Over the counter bleaching products are not regulated by the FDA or approved by the American Dental Association. You may want to check with your dentist before starting any teeth whitening system.