Teeth As White As Snow?
From subtle improvements to sparkling white; a teeth whitening treatment can be tailored just for you
Possibly because teeth whitening treatments have often been highlighted by celebrities and TV personalities, some of our Burton patients may have been deterred from having this procedure due to the ‘brilliant’ whiteness that has sometimes resulted. It is probably fair to say that most people don’t wish to draw too much attention to themselves in the way that some celebrities do, but would also like to do something about their dull or discoloured teeth.
The good news is that the teeth whitening treatment that we use at Mike Allen’s Dental Practice allows us to adjust the degree of whiteness according to your wishes. Expectations about the end result may also vary and the likely outcome will be discussed with you prior to you receiving the treatment.
Why have teeth whitening at this time of the year?
This is a valid question and we suspect that some people will think that there is little point in this procedure until the warmer, and hopefully sunnier, summer months arrive. Whilst this is a popular time, there are many good reasons to maintain white teeth throughout the year.
Although we might spend more time outdoors in the summer, there are still plenty of social gatherings during the darker and colder months of the year. With Christmas and the new year not so far away, we are sure that many diaries are already starting to fill up with meals, parties and other social events. At times such as these, we like to look our best, but even the smartest clothes and expensive hair styles won’t hide an unattractive smile caused by stained or discoloured teeth.
How can you whiten your teeth?
We are sure that some of you will have already tried using a teeth whitening toothpaste. We are also fairly sure that you will have been at least a little disappointed with the results and there is a good reason for this. For safety reasons, there are regulations in place that limit the amount of the active whitening ingredient which is allowed in this product. Many of us will probably remember eating toothpaste as a small child? Ingesting large quantities of this ingredient, which is a type of bleach, could result in potentially dangerous medical issues. Some “whitening” toothpastes also contain additional abrasive ingredients that help to remove surface staining from the teeth. Unfortunately this can also cause permanent damage to the enamel surface if used over-zealously, sometimes leading to sensitive teeth and increasing the risk of tooth decay.
The reality of tooth discolouration
Many people think that discoloured teeth are caused by surface staining, often from foods and drinks that we consume. To some degree, they are right and this is certainly a factor. Drinks such as tea and others which contain tannins can cause the surface to stain, as can many other substances such as red wine, soy sauce and one of the worst culprits, smoking. This is not the full story though and is one of the reasons why whitening toothpastes and ‘scrubbing’ your teeth harder just won’t work.
Beneath the hard enamel surface of our teeth lies a softer and more porous layer called dentin. When we are young, this is a similar colour to the enamel on our teeth and doesn’t show through. As we grow older though, this dentin starts to darken and will slowly start to appear more visible through the translucent enamel. Gradually, this makes our teeth look more dull, often eventually resulting in them taking on a yellow appearance. When this happens, as it will to all of us no matter how well we clean our teeth, the only way to brighten our teeth is to lighten the colour of the dentin.
Teeth bleaching
In order to whiten the dentin part of our teeth, it is necessary to use a form of bleach. This should not be confused with household bleach and is perfectly safe when used by a fully trained dentist such as those at our Burton dental clinic. At Mike Allen’s Dental Practice, we use a custom home whitening treatment which takes between 1 and 2 weeks to fully work.
Following a consultation where we will check the health of your teeth and discuss the outcome that you desire, impressions will be taken of your teeth. From these, personalised trays that will contain the whitening gel and will sit over your teeth will be made. This is an important step as it ensures that not only are the trays comfortable when you wear them, but that it minimises the risk of any bleach coming into contact with your lips and gums.
As mentioned earlier, this treatment can be adjusted to help you obtain your desired result. Some of you might wish for the whitest smile possible whilst others may simply wish for a subtle improvement that is noticeable but also not strikingly obvious. We are all different and we are happy to work with you to help you achieve a result that you are happy and comfortable with.
If you are not satisfied with the way that your teeth currently look and would like to see what we can do to bring the sparkle back to your smile, why not give us a call to arrange a consultation? You can arrange an appointment with one of our friendly Burton dentists by calling us on 01283 845345 and our team will be delighted to help!