When your smile gradually becomes discoloured, it can be very easy to fall out of love with it, and give up on looking after your pearly whites. Teeth whitening treatment can give your teeth the pick-me-up they need and encourage you to take better care of your teeth after treatment. If you’re looking for teeth whitening treatment in Norwich, choose Corner House Dental for a safe and professional treatment that guarantees a whiter smile. Whether you’re looking to make minor improvements, or you’d like to make a more transformative difference to your tooth shade, we can tailor treatment accordingly.
How do teeth discolour overtime?
Teeth can become discoloured for several reasons, though the majority of the time the staining is extrinsic, which means it affects only the tooth enamel and not the nerve of a tooth.
Extrinsic disolouration is caused by eating and drinking food and beverages that are tooth-staining. For example, some common culprits include black coffee and tea, wine, dark-coloured tooth like beetroot, soy sauce and curry sauce. Consuming high-acid food and drink can also leave your teeth susceptible to staining, as the enamel erodes away, causing your teeth’s natural translucency to fade away.
Other reasons you may have discoloured teeth is down to tooth grinding. The additional stress your teeth are put under when you grind them can wear down tooth enamel, revealing the yellow dentin that lies beneath. During your teeth whitening consultation, we’ll take a look at your teeth, to establish if they’re discoloured for reasons other than your diet. Should we find you have excessive tooth wear, we may recommend an orthodontic mouth guard to protect your teeth from further wear. These are generally worn at night, which is when you are most likely to grind your teeth.
How does professional teeth whitening work?
Professional teeth whitening uses custom made whitening trays (a little like mouth guards), which are the safest and most effective way to achieve an evenly white smile.
The teeth whitening treatments professional dentists use contain an active ingredient (normally hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide). This penetrates your enamel to reach the discoloured molecules in your teeth, breaking the bonds that bind them together. The oxygen molecules spread and as a result, the whole tooth is whitened.
Custom made trays keep your teeth safe. They’re made to be a precise fit over each tooth, so there isn’t a risk of the bleaching agent going anywhere near your gums, or the soft tissues in your mouth. By contrast, over-the-counter whitening trays and teeth whitening performed by unqualified individuals can pose a serious risk to oral health, as they aren’t made for your teeth.
We strongly recommend opting for professional teeth whitening only, so you can be safe in the knowledge that your oral health isn’t compromised.
Teeth whitening in Norwich
Here at Corner House Dental we use a bleaching system that’s clinically proven to yield whiter-looking teeth. If you’re looking to achieve the best results from your treatment, we recommend a combination of at-home whitening (where you take your trays home and whiten you smile each day by wearing the trays over a period of days) and in-house teeth whitening.
Step 1) During your first appointment, we will take impressions of your teeth, so we can make your bespoke whitening trays. This should not take longer than 15 minutes to carry out.
Step 2) During your second appointment 10 days later, your bleaching trays will be ready to collect, so you can start your treatment. We will also bleach your teeth for 10 minutes during this appointment.
Step 3) You will wear your whitening trays for the recommended time – we will be able to tell you how many days this is for once we have ascertained the shade you wish your teeth to be.
Step 4) We will invite you along for a 10 minute review with your dentist, so we can make sure you are happy with the results of treatment. You will be offered the option of an additional in-house bleaching session, should you wish to see an even whiter result.
How can I maintain a bright and white smile post-treatment?
To get the most out of your teeth whitening treatment, there are several simple things you can do:
- Visit the hygienist: regular scale and polish appointments not only help to stop the progression of gum disease, but to remove surface stains from your teeth and gum line. Coming along for a deep clean at least twice a year will help to keep your teeth white and bright.
- Watch your diet: as we’ve already mentioned, there is certain food and drink that will cause your newly white teeth to discolour rapidly. You should try to enjoy these types of food and drink in moderation, and sip on water whenever you can. This will help to wash away harmful acid and bacteria that can cause enamel erosion and discolouration.
- Floss in between each tooth: it’s incredibly easy for patches of discolouration to manifest between each of your teeth. When food particles become trapped in between teeth, and you fail to floss, this can lead to small yellow patches that contribute to the overall yellowing of your teeth. Flossing after each meal will make sure you don’t develop yellowing that can affect the overall aesthetic of your smile.
If you would like more information about teeth whitening treatment here in Norwich, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
