Tooth Whitening: Facts to Know before getting the Treatment
People are now more self-conscious than ever before. As a result, cosmetic dentistry treatments are overwhelmingly popular, says a private dentist in London. A recently conducted survey confirms 2 among every 5 Brits are game for improving the appearance of their teeth with veneers, Invisalign or whitening treatment.
In the following sections of this blog post, let us explore some teeth whitening facts. It is to be noted this information is shared by a renowned dentist with wide experience in enlighten teeth whitening treatment in London.
Helpful facts about teeth whitening
- A number of factors affect the whiteness of your teeth. Certain foods, drinks and lifestyle factors stain the teeth over time. These include coffee, tea, red wine and smoking. Genetics also plays a role in determining your teeth brightness.
- Plaque build-up must be removed regularly and proper brushing and flossing are the best ways for it. Make sure plaque does not turn into the hardened form called calculus or tartar. Tartar affects your teeth brightness.
- In some cases staining occurs under the teeth surface. This occurs when you have tiny cracks on the enamel surface although certain antibiotic medications are also known to cause this problem.
- The natural colour of your teeth is set right at the moment you are born. No whitening product, treatment or procedure can tamper with that natural setting. They can only remove the stains that accumulate over the teeth surface with the passage of time.
- The most frequently used tooth whitening procedure is professional bleaching. Usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide is present as the active ingredient in whitening products. This active ingredient breaks down in chemical reaction releasing oxygen. The stains are removed by oxygen released from active ingredients.
- Whitening effects on the teeth can last up to 3 years although this varies from individual to individual. If you pamper yourself excessively with stain-causing drinks and smoking, the whitening effect is less likely to last that long.
- As per statutory guidelines, teeth whitening treatment in the UK can only be performed by a qualified dentist. A dental hygienist can also provide the treatment under the prescription of a dentist. Beauticians and skincare professionals are not legally permitted to whiten the teeth. Getting the treatment at whitening kiosks or skincare salons may bring irreversible damage to your gums and the teeth.
- As per law, tooth-whitening products that are available over the counter across the UK contain just 0.1% hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. This concentration is too low to bring any noticeable effect on your teeth colour.
- Tooth whitening does not help remove deep stains from the teeth surface. It only lightens the existing tooth colour.
- Restrained lifestyle is helpful maintaining the natural shine and colour of the teeth.
Important tooth whitening tips
- Avoid teeth whitening products manufactured in other countries. Online price of such products are undeniably tempting but they also put you at higher risk. To be on the safer side, you must check every tooth whitening product that you buy with your dentist before use.
- Discuss with your dentist any topic related to tooth whitening. Literally there is no better source of information for you than your dentist. By virtue of their vast technical knowhow, dentists give you the most appropriate suggestions taking your unique dental needs into consideration. These licensed professionals can treat you using whitening products with 6% concentration of the active ingredient or hydrogen peroxide. In other words, this range of whitening products is almost 6,000 times more powerful than the products available over the counter (having only 0.01% concentration of active ingredient). This is why teeth whitening treatment by a dentist always provides great results.
Oral healthcare professionals licensed to carry out enlighten teeth whitening in London share the facts discussed above to make sure you don’t suffer from any unwanted side-effects at the hands of unqualified quacks.
It is relevant mentioning that Smile Works Dental is a private dental practice with impressive success rate in teeth whitening treatments. The clinic is located at Harley Street in Marylebone and also operates on Saturdays from 9 am to 3 pm. You are free to book your appointment with us to whiten your teeth.