Tooth Whitening……………………………………………
Who should have tooth whitening
More people than ever are choosing to have their teeth whiter to make their smiles more attractive.
First impressions are very important when meeting people and a whiter, healthier looking smile is always an advantage. We all want naturally white healthy-looking teeth. Some of us do have darker teeth naturally than others, and some of us have life styles that stain our teeth…… but who can say no, to that lovely cup of coffee!
Teeth whitening is a simple cosmetic process that can dramatically improve the appearance of your teeth. Tooth whitening is less invasive than other forms of whitening your tooth colour, such as veneers or crowns. The degree of whitening achieved will vary from person to person and will also depend on which whitening procedure you decide upon.
Teeth are naturally a yellow or greyish colour which become darker as we get older. Food and drink such as red wine and coffee can also cause our teeth to become darker. There are other reasons why teeth can become darker, such as smoking, certain types of antibiotics and decay.
Whitening your teeth with over the counter products.
Products that can be purchased over the counter are not very effective as the permitted level of the active ingredient hydrogen peroxide is only 0.1%. To make up for the low concentration they sometimes contain abrasives that scour your enamel and can be damaging, causing enamel abrasion, gum loss and potential sensitivity. The product we currently use is 6% hydrogen peroxide.
Tooth whitening in the UK is considered by the General Dental Council (dentistry’s regulatory body) to be the practice of dentistry. Any non-dentist whitening teeth in gyms, shopping centres or hairdressers for example, are breaking the law.
Your tooth discoloration may be in relation to either decay or in response to your current medication, therefore its important to have a dentist give you a clean bill of health dentally before embarking on a tooth whitening program.
What happens when I have teeth whitening?
At Ernevale House Dentistry we use a whitening product called Boutique. The active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide at a strength of 6%. This is a home-based tooth whitening procedure, which enables you to control the amount of whitening you desire to achieve and allows for you to whiten your teeth in your free time. Once your dentist is happy that you are dentally fit, they will take upper and lower impressions to enable us to have custom made trays made for you. We will than book a second appointment to allow your dentist to check the fit of your custom-made trays, and at this appointment your dentist will tell you how to apply your tooth whitening product, and how to care for your trays. A follow up appointment will also be made to assess your whitening development.
If you would like to have your teeth whitened with products that are actually clinically proven to lighten the shade of your teeth, and by practitioners who are properly trained to use them, then please book an appointment to see one of our dentists.
We look forward to hearing from you.