We imagine bright, white, radiant teeth when we think of healthy smiles. But when your smile is lacklustre, yellow, and stained, it can make you feel insecure about showing it off.
The great news is that staining and discolouration are often easily reversible. With a professional teeth whitening treatment, you can make your smile shine white again.
Before you make your teeth whitening appointment, you should know a few things about the treatment.
Here are six teeth whitening facts to help you smile confidently once again.
1. Staining and Discolourations Can Affect Anyone
It’s easy to assume that staining and discolouration are only caused by neglecting your brushing routine. While that’s true in some cases, it’s not always the case.
Although they feel smooth, our teeth have tiny pores. As our teeth come into contact with foods that may stain, such as dark fruits, coffee, red wine, and spices, these pores absorb their colours. Over time, they build up, leaving stains.
If your teeth are yellow, this is often because the outer enamel is wearing thin. As it does this, the darker dentin below shows through, giving your teeth a yellow shade.
2. Whitening Toothpaste Only Removes Surface Stains
Scan the toothpaste aisles of any supermarket, and you’ll find products marketed to whiten your smile. Whitening toothpaste cannot change the colour of your teeth, though.
Stains can be extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic stains are surface level, and intrinsic stains are deep within the pores of your teeth. Whitening toothpaste only addresses extrinsic stains.
Abrasive ingredients like charcoal or bicarbonate of soda are used in these toothpastes to scrape away the staining. While useful, there is a danger that if this type of toothpaste is overused, it could damage the enamel of your teeth.
3. Shop Bought Whiteners Can Harm Your Smile
You can buy whitening treatments in shops, online, or have them performed at some beauty salons. Beware of treatments like these. Even in a salon, you won’t have the support of a qualified dentist during your treatment, making them less safe.
Legal limits also prohibit them from being as strong as professional treatments, meaning they’re just not as effective.
4. There’s More Than One Way to Whiten Your Teeth at the Dentist
Professional whitening treatments offer flexibility. You can either have a treatment you take home and use, such as Boutique or Enlighten, or one that’s performed in-clinic like Zoom!
With Boutique and Enlighten, you’ll wear custom-made trays that hold the whitening gel close to your teeth. These are worn daily for two weeks.
With Zoom! the whitening gel is applied to your teeth, and your smile is exposed to a special light that activates the process. You’ll get a bright new smile in less than an hour.
5. Crowns, Veneers, and Bridges Can’t Be Whitened
If you have any restoration on your teeth, they cannot be whitened. This includes crowns, veneers, bridges, inlays, onlays, and fillings.
Fortunately, restorations don’t tend to discolour as your natural teeth would.
6. A Refreshed Smile Can Increase Confidence
If your stained smile has been getting you down, showing off the results of your whitening treatment will make you feel good again. Many people enjoy improved confidence levels after teeth whitening, which makes them ideal for having before a significant life event like your wedding or trying to get that dream job you’ve always wanted.
Teeth Whitening at Nottingham Smiles
At Nottingham Smiles, we have an excellent choice of whitening treatments, including Boutique, Enlighten, and Zoom!
Get in touch today and arrange your appointment to learn more about the right option for you.
