Teeth whitening has become a very popular treatment in dental practices over the last decade and it’s no surprise why. In an image-aware society of celebrity and first impressions, cosmetic dentistry has and continues to thrive. Teeth whitening can lighten your teeth up to as much as 11 shades, though it is of course, up to the patient to select their desired shade.
Teeth are resilient and the enamel coating that protect them deals with a lot of different substances like the tannins in red wine, staining from tea and coffee, the acidic nature of lemons and other citrus fruits and sugary, sticky foods like candy and toffee. Smoking also contributes to your teeth’s overall condition.
There are indeed other ways to get the white teeth you’ve been dreaming of such as DIY kits and treatments performed by a beauty therapist. However, these can present great risks as neither are custom treatment.
How does the process work?
Your dentist will protect your gums with a rubber shield or gel to stop them becoming irritated by the hydrogen peroxide, which can cause serious damage to your teeth and gums when in the hands of someone non-qualified. Non-professional teeth-whitening methods are also a waste of a patient’s money – they’re short-term and cause general discomfort.
A whitening agent will then be applied to your teeth via some specially made custom trays fitted to your teeth. These slide over your teeth like a sports mouth guard.
Tooth whitening is a not a way of avoiding other dental health complications! For example is you have a cavity, this will have to be examined and cured before you can go through with tooth whitening.
In-practice teeth-whitening takes between 30-90 minutes and you will need 1-3 appointments, though your dentist will ask you questions to determine this. Visit us at Corner House Dental for a consultation for teeth whitening Norwich.
Aftercare
It’s easy to neglect your teeth again after having them whitened…. Having aesthetically pleasing teeth is one thing but having a healthy set is another….
Be sure to look after your teeth after the procedure, ensuring you brush your teeth for 2 minutes a day twice a day. The more effectively you do this, the more you can prolong the following appointment…!