Complete dental whitening- Everything you need to know
Tooth whitening is a widely performed dental treatment. Even though it’s
considered cosmetic in nature, its importance is undeniable. Sparkling white
teeth are great confidence boosters. A beautiful smile makes one more
attractive. Moreover, stained teeth look unattractive and can somewhat lower
your confidence to smile more naturally and openly. So tooth whitening should
be seen as a necessity rather than a luxury.
Getting a tooth brightening treatment is very easy. Most dentists, like
Sandalwood Smiles in Brampton, offer complete teeth whitening pack. There are
many products available in market that claim to make a couple of shades
difference. Whitening toothpaste, mouthwash, trays, strips etc are other
popular methods of achieving the desired results. You can use these after
consulting your dentist.
What is Tooth Whitening?
It basically means to remove stains from tooth surface. Our tooth enamel is
not a smooth polished surface. It has pores and lines. Many dark colored
pigments from what we eat get lodged in those pores. Therefore, overall
appearance of teeth becomes darker or yellowish. Through tooth whitening, these
stains are effectively removed to reveal the sparkling inner beauty.
Causes of tooth staining
Many factors determine this.
·
AGE: With advancing age, enamel becomes thinner and teeth tend to lose their
original sheen. Consumption of tea and coffee over years also causes
discoloration.
·
GENETICS: Strength of enamel depends upon our genetic make-up. Number of pores on
enamel surface is also determined by genes.
·
FOOD HABITS: Drinking excessive tea and coffee can cause yellowing of teeth. Prolonged
neglect can cause even more darkening and discoloration.
·
SMOKING: The foremost and most common reason of teeth darkening. Smoking and use of
tobacco causes extensive teeth staining.
·
FAULTY DENTAL HYGIENE: If you’re not taking care of your teeth properly, it’ll show in the form of
teeth yellowing. Staining happens in the absence of proper brushing and
flossing.
·
INTRINSIC STAINING: Sometimes the problem is more deep seated and manifests as teeth staining.
Exposure to high fluoride levels during childhood is a major cause of yellowing
of teeth. Use of antibiotics like tetracycline during second half of pregnancy
and in children under the age of 8 can cause staining as well. These types of
stains are unaffected by regular teeth whitening treatments. Trauma to tooth
also causes localized intrinsic staining.
Methods of Tooth Whitening
Different methods are employed to remove stains off enamel. Firstly, teeth
are repaired. Scaling is done to remove plaque and food particles. Cavities are
filled and root canal treatments done if necessary. Cracks, if any, are filled
to give an even appearance.
Now, there are two main types of teeth whitening treatments namely vital
and non-vital. Former is concerned with teeth having live nerve and latter with
teeth having no live nerve, as in after root canal treatment.
There are many methods that are adopted by dentists for vital tooth
whitening. The most popular and widely used is LASER whitening. Whitening gel
is applied to teeth followed by exposure to LASER of the exact wavelength
that’ll activate the active agent in the whitening gel. This is fast, effective
and requires lesser sittings.
For badly discolored teeth, you may need to apply whitening gel at home.
Dentists make custom fitted mouthpieces for the same, after taking client’s
teeth impression. Whitening gel provided by dentist is to be filled in the
mouthpieces and applied overnight. There is a list of precautions that comes
with it, with respect to what to eat and how to care for your whiter
teeth.
Non-vital whitening is more about improving the color of crown from the
inside. That’s a whole different technique. Dental hygienist places the
whitening agent inside the tooth followed by temporary filling.
Benefits
·
It’s a fast and easy procedure that has minimum or no side effects.
·
Brighter teeth brighten up your self-esteem.
·
A picture perfect smile is always an added bonus.
·
Can be done in the convenience of your home.
If you’re thinking about getting it done, Sandalwood Smiles offers complete
teeth whitening pack for that dazzling white smile.
