Teeth Whitening
Introduction
Get a healthy, beautiful and a brighter smile today!
White teeth have the effect of increasing confidence level and attractiveness level. Teeth whitening lighten teeth colour and help to remove stains and discolouration. It can greatly improve how your teeth look. Whitening is not a one-time procedure. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain the brighter colour.
How does teeth whitening work?
Teeth whitening is a simple process. Whitening products contain one of two tooth bleaches (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide). When the UV light shines onto the gel(bleach). The peroxide in the whitening gel releases oxygen ions in your teeth and these ions chemically break the stains into smaller pieces, which makes the colour less concentrated and your teeth brighter.
What causes your teeth to go from white to not-so-bright or yellow?
- Smoking (Tobacco and Nicotine)
- Coffee, tea, red wine and etc (Intense colour pigments called chromogens that attach to the white, outer part of your tooth (enamel)
- Below the hard, white outer shell of your teeth (enamel), there is a softer area called dentin. Over time, the outer enamel layer gets thinner with brushing and more of the yellowish dentin shows through.
- Trauma. If you have been hit on your teeth, your tooth may change colour because it reacts to an injury by laying down more dentin, which is a darker layer under the enamel.
- Medications Tooth darkening can be a side effect of certain antihistamines, antipsychotics and high blood pressure medications. Young children who are exposed to antibiotics like tetracycline and doxycycline when their teeth are forming (either in the womb or as a baby) may have discoloration of their adult teeth later in life. Chemotherapyand head and neck radiation can also darken teeth
How to maintain white teeth?
Whitening is not a permanent solution. The stains will come back especially if you smoke or consume a lot of staining food or drinks. You may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as 1 month. If you avoid the sources of staining, you may not need another whitening treatment for 6 to 12 months. Whitening needs maintenance or touch ups for prolonged effect.
Methods to extend longevity of newly whitened teeth
- Maintenance whitening (touch up) as infrequently as once a year
- Practice excellent oral hygiene like brushing and flossing with the help of whitening toothpaste
- Avoid dark coloured food and beverages
- Whenever possible, sipping dark coloured beverages with a straw
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