Whitening Teeth?

I asked my dentist the other day how much he would charge to whiten my teeth. His reply was that he don't offer the service because he don't agree with it. He says the bleech damages your enamel. Also that he thought people look silly with fake looking pearly white teeth, saying it didn't look natural. I smoked cigs for years and quit within the past year. I wish to get my teeth looking white again. But I don't want to damage them either. What are you opinions about the over the counter whiteners? Do the strips that you put on your teeth do good and do they get in between the gaps of my teeth? I appreciate any responses!
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My dentist recommended Crest Whitestrips. When I used them, I pushed them so that they covered all the parts of each tooth. They didn't help me. My teeth are so sensitive that even using them once now causes a severe pain in my gums that takes days to go away. The hygienist says that most people take Tylenol for the pain. This has been cut and pasted from Prevention.com. Although more than a third of adults worry that professional teeth whitening will damage their enamel, research suggests that their fears are unfounded. "There's overwhelming evidence that, when used as directed, bleaching does not cause permanent damage to the teeth or gums," says Edmond R. Hewlett, DDS, consumer adviser for the ADA and an associate professor at the UCLA School of Dentistry (and Schlater-Hewlett's husband). The article goes into side effects and tells the pros and cons of different whitening methods. Problems stem from overuse, sensitivity, using them with a cavity, and expecting your teeth to stay white forever. Good luck.
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