Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening is a highly effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surface. White teeth look great- attractive, youthful and clean. Few people have naturally white teeth, and teeth can become darker with age. Smoking and drinks such as tea, coffee and red wine will also progressively darken the teeth.

Now let me explore this process of whitening . Teeth whitening is a bleaching process that lightens discoloration and removes stains from within the enamel of the teeth.

During your consultation the procedure will be discussed with you to determine if tooth whitening is suitable in your case. Teeth whitening does not affect the colour of artificial teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings. An impression of your teeth is taken with a dental compound. This is used to make thin, clear trays, which fit snugly over your teeth. You are given syringes of gel that contain a 15% carbamide peroxide bleaching agent. You simply place some of the gel in the tray and fit it over your teeth for a few hours daily for one to three weeks. You need to wear the tray for at least three hours each day- or overnight if you prefer. We will see you again to review progress after two weeks.

Many of you thinking about the process safety but I say it safe and it has been proved by researchers. Research and clinical studies indicate that whitening teeth with carbamide peroxide and/or hydrogen peroxide under the supervision of a dentist is safe for teeth and gums. It is ok for everyone and Teeth whitening can only lighten the existing colour of your natural teeth. It will not work on any types of ‘false’ teeth such as crowns, veneers or dentures. These may need replacing if they are stained or are the wrong colour. If you have white fillings, these will not change and may also need to be replaced to match your whitened teeth.

The effects of whitening normally last for many years, although this will vary from person to person. Inevitably with time the teeth will start to darken again due to drinks and food (and more rapidly if you are a smoker). Most people like to maintain their whitening effect by using the gel for one or two nights every three to six months.

OTHER METHODS

There is also other method like “Zoom”, “power whitening” and “laser whitening” are all techniques which are completed at a single visit in the surgery.They use extra strong gels kept on the teeth for an hour and are often activated using bright lights.There are some disadvantages to this technique: it is more expensive (typically £450-600), can be uncomfortable and can produce a less long-term shade change of the teeth; largely due to

dehydration of the enamel. However, if in-surgery whitening is used and followed up with home whitening it can give outstanding results. Please ask your dentist if you are interested in this type of whitening.

 SIDE EFFECTS OF TEETH WHITENING

Most people find that their teeth become sensitive to cold during the

treatment. You may find you need to have a break from whitening for a day or so or use a toothpaste such as “Sensodyne” to reduce the effect. If you have natural white flecks in

your enamel these will become more apparent during treatment but will fade following treatment.  But in case of whitening toothpastes they do not affect the natural colour of your teeth. They may be effective at removing staining and may help maintain the effect of professional whitening.

You can visit your dental expert who can give much more clarity about this process. But always remember for any kind of treatment that your health condition is perfect for that .

BEST OF LUCK