Teach bleaching, also known as teeth whitening, actually began in the barber’s chair. In the 17th century it was common for barbers to serve as dental surgeons, mainly for pulling out teeth. So, when men wanted to brighten their smile, they saw the barber who usually filed the teeth’s enamel and then applied nitric acid, which dramatically whitened teeth. Even though teeth rapidly decayed without its enamel, this practice continued well into the 18th century.
Teeth bleaching has only grown more and more popular since then. A survey of dentists, conducted in 2002 by the American Dentist Association and Colgate, revealed that teeth whitening was the fastest growing area of a dentist’s businesses. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry reported that teeth whitening and bleaching procedures have increased 300% over the past five years.