Previous consumer studies have proved that a beautiful smile will make you more attractive. But according to research conducted by Beall Research & Training of Chicago, a new smile will make you appear more intelligent, interesting, successful and wealthy to others as well.
The research looked at before and after cosmetic dental treatments and indicated that an attractive smile does have a broad range of benefits:
- More attractive.
- More popular with the opposite sex.
- Wealthier
- More successful in their career.
- The change in perception was statistically significant in all areas.
You only have to search Google on how to have whiter teeth to be inundated with an array of tips, methods and examples of how bloggers have found ingenious ways to whitening teeth.
In this blog post we going to look at always that you can have whiter teeth and how you can enjoy that gleaming smile.
The four ways you can enjoy whiter teeth are:
- Looking after your teeth to preserve their natural whiteness.
- Teeth whitening.
- Dental bonding.
- Dental veneers.
1. Looking after your teeth to preserve their natural whiteness
Brush the right way. It might sound obvious, but looking after your teeth and keeping them naturally white is the simplest and moscost-effectiveve way of enjoying a beautiful smile.
As well as brushing in the right way. We recommend:
Brushing at least twice per day. This will keep plaque at bay, this is the sticky covering over your teeth which can look dark and yellow.
Cleaning in between your teeth with either dental floss or a GP brush. This gets to be difficult to reach areas in between your teeth, these areas tend to build up plaque and look darker quicker.
Use a fluoride mouthwash at least once per day and at a different time to brushing. Toothpaste contains more fluoride than mouthwash so it’s best to keep the toothpaste on your teeth after cleaning. Use mouthwash in between meals as a way to freshen up your breath, remove debris and give your teeth a quick clean.
Following this daily dental healthcare routine will help to keep your teeth white.
2. Teeth whitening.
Tooth whitening is the process of removing stains and discolouration from teeth through a bleaching process to make them look “whiter”. Some tooth staining can however be removed by a dental hygienist and this can noticeably improve the appearance and make them look “whiter”
- Professional home whitening kits
- Teeth whitening tray
- Teeth whitening tray
To make a professional home whitening kit, our dentist will take an impression (mould) of your teeth. Our dental technician will then use this to make your custom teeth whitening trays. Once these trays have been made you use them with our professional whitening gel until you are happy with the results. Depending on the teeth whitening system, some trays need to be worn overnight while others for only 1-2 hours a day.
Suitability for whitening
Many people are not suitable for teeth whitening and our dentist will assess your suitability during a consultation. If you have gum disease or other dental health problems, you may not be suitable. The teeth whitening process does not change the colour of crowns, veneers or fillings so it is important to understand that you may need to change these to match the colour of your whitened teeth.
How much whiter will my teeth look?
This varies from individual to individual; some people respond very well to teeth whitening and have dramatically whiter teeth as a result, whereas others may notice very little difference at all. People with heavily stained yellow teeth tend to have more dramatic results than those with slightly discoloured teeth. Our dentist will be able to advise you on the likely results following a consultation.
Does it hurt? What are the side effects of teeth whitening?
Some people experience no pain or sensitivity with their teeth. However, the majority of people will experience some kind of sensitivity either during and/or after the initial treatment. This is usually described by patients as sporadic, sharp shooting pains coming from their teeth. This should settle down after approximately 48 hours though. Our dentist may give you a special gel or mousse to apply to your teeth to help with the sensitivity.
3. Bonding to whiten teeth.
Dental bonding is the process by which small amounts of tooth coloured composite resin material are added to your teeth in small and incremental layers. These layers are built up to slowly cover your tooth.
Normally dental bonding would only be used if corrections to the tooth shape are required. Typically, chips and small breaks in the teeth can be rebuilt with dental bonding and if the composite resin used is whiter than the natural teeth then a whitening effect also happens.
One of the problems with dental bonding is that the composite resin may pick up stains over time, typically red wine, tea, coffee and strongly coloured food can stain the composite resin. This can be polished off by your dentist but will require regular dental visits in order to maintain the bonding colour.
4. Veneers and crowns to whiten teeth.
In the most extreme cases where teeth whitening is not able to whiten teeth enough then veneers and crowns can be considered. If the tooth has become revitalised (died) then teeth whitening may not in itself be enough to whiten the tooth to the correct colour. In this instance, a dental veneer can be made to cover the dark tooth.
Veneers are highly cosmetic thin coverings of dental ceramic which are bonded to your natural tooth.
…and finally… How about whitening your teeth at home without a dentist?
Interestingly, many of the searches in Google call these “Natural ways to whiten your teeth”, the only truly natural way to whiten your teeth is to keep them clean – mixing things like baking soda, coconut oil, household bleach, lemon juice and cider could have adverse reactions on your teeth.
Some of the items mentioned are highly acidic and can react with one another, this acid could attack your teeth and inflame your gums. Inflammation of the gums could lead to gingivitis, which is the beginning of gum disease.
We highly recommend that if you decide to have whiter teeth that you visit your dentist and seek professional advice. Our dental practice in Wimbledon is able to help with teeth whitening as well as other forms of cosmetic and preventive dentistry.