Summer’s here which means sun, sea, weddings and parties and it’s when many of our patients here at Wayside Dental enquire about the best way to whiten their teeth. We’re delighted to offer a range of teeth whitening optionsfor our Harpenden patients so here’s some helpful answers to some questions you may have on all things about tooth or teeth whitening.
In our experience patients who benefit most out having their teeth whitened are patients who:
Have good overall dental health
Have a good oral hygiene regime; brush at least twice a day, floss and come to Wayside Dental for regular check-ups every 6 months.
Have slightly discoloured or yellow teeth.
Want a whiter, brighter smile.
Having your teeth whitened is one of the safest dental procedures there is and is rarely connected with any negative side effects. You may experience mild sensitivity but this can be alleviated by applying a small amount of desensitising toothpaste to the area, such as Sensodyne, or having a day’s break from whitening.
Rinse your mouth after eating colourful foods such as curries.
Avoid too much coffee, tea and red wine. Don’t smoke or vape.
The British Dental Association has recently warned against the use of shop bought whitening kits after Which found that many contained way over the recommended concentration of hydrogen peroxide. These products could lead to burns and permanent damage to tissues supporting your teeth.
It is also important to have custom made whitening trays which hold the gel in place and minimise leakage to surrounding tissues.
Most patients can achieve shade B1, which is the lightest natural colour. This is guaranteed with the Enlighten whitening system.
Not all stained teeth can be whitened through professional bleaching. If you have sensitive teeth, have gum disease or your teeth’s enamel is excessively worn then your Wayside dentist will advise whether you should start a course of teeth whitening. Your best option to book an appointment with us if you have any questions on suitability for teeth whitening.
If you use professional whitening systems, your enamel won’t be damaged.
For a few hours after you whiten your teeth the pores in your teeth may be slightly more open and, therefore, more susceptible to staining.So it’s a good idea to stay off tea, coffee, red wine and colourful foods for a few hours.
At Wayside we offer either Zoom home whitening which is purely a at home home whitening system which you use every day for 2 weeks or Enlighten which again you use at home for 2 weeks and finish off the treatment in the surgery where the final gel is applied.
Contact us today and make this summer the brightest ever!
