How to safely whiten your teeth Time, smoking, tea and coffee are just a few of the things that cause your teeth to yellow and discolour. Whitening is a bit like a facial in that it helps to unlock pores in your tooth so that stains are gently removed leaving teeth cleaner and brighter. Whiter teeth can take years off your appearance. The effects can last up to ten years depending on whether or not you smoke or how much tea, coffee and red wine you drink. Although the teeth themselves whiten well, any fillings or crowns will remain the same colour and may need replacing to match the new lighter colour of your teeth.
All whitening is based on a hydrogen peroxide solution; the only
difference in the hundreds of systems out there is the concentration and the way the solution is applied to your teeth. There are two main ways of carrying out tooth whitening:
1. Tray based. The gel is placed in a custom made night-guard which is worn from one hour to overnight for 7-10 nights depending on the gel.
2. Surgery based otherwise known as laser or power bleaching. Here, more concentrated gels are applied directly to your teeth and accelerated with heat or light (laser/power). Usually a one-hour appointment is needed with maintenance provided with top-up trays.
1. No whitening is permanent. Maintenance is needed to keep that bright smile.
2. Only a dentist can get your teeth to the maximum whiteness.
3. See a dentist first to check teeth are healthy before starting. Teeth and gums can become permanently sensitive if they are not treated appropriately first.
4. There is no evidence that whitening toothpastes can actually whiten your teeth.
5. Whitening kits can at best do nothing and at worse some of those bought abroad or over the internet can actually harm your teeth as they contain acids/abrasives that can cause permanent damage.
Advice by Dr James Goolnik-Chairman of BACD
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