insideKENT Magazine Issue 32 - November 2014 | Page 98
HEALTH+WELLNESS
The Perfect Smile
TOOTH WHITENING IS A
MINIMALLY INVASIVE AND
EFFECTIVE WAY OF
CHANGING THE NATURAL
COLOUR OF YOUR TEETH
WITHOUT HAVING TO
REMOVE ANY TOOTH
SUBSTANCE. IT IS
CONSIDERED A VERY GOOD
OPTION FOR YOU IF YOU
ARE CONSIDERING HAVING
WHITER TEETH WITHOUT
HAVING TO PLACE VENEERS
OR CROWNS ON THEM
WHICH INVOLVE DRILLING
YOUR TOOTH.
Dr. Golnar Hassirian D.M.D
As we grow older our teeth also become darker
and although this is partly caused by the process
of ageing, it is also exaggerated by our diet and
by other habits such as smoking. Tea, coffee,
red wine, curries and other foods which have
strong colours can have an effect on the overall
colour of our teeth, especially if being consumed
over a longer period of time. Teeth also can
become darker if their roots have been damaged
or diseased and can also be stained by certain
medication.
Just like eye colour and skin type which are
genetic, our teeth are also different from person
to person. Certain people naturally have either a
grey, yellow or brownish shade to their teeth.
What methods of tooth whitening are there?
Your dentist will need to assess your teeth to
make sure that you are suitable for the treatment.
They will decide if tooth whitening is appropriate
for you and will discuss the options available.
There are a number of methods with which you
might get your teeth whitened.
In-Surgery Whitening, performed by a dentist in
the dental surgery, is a popular method in which
the dentist applies the bleaching material on the
patients teeth and supervises the treatment.
Gums sometimes require protection with a special
gel prior to application of the bleaching material
and the process takes between one to two hours.
Home Whitening is another popular method which
involves having custom made trays made. This
is also supervised by a dentist. You apply the
bleaching gel yourself when you are at home and
wear it for few hours or even over-night. Your
dentist will discuss with you exactly how long
you should keep the tray in your mouth. It is
important to follow the instructions that you are
given to get the best result. Different strengths
of bleach require different instructions which will
be given and demonstrated in full by the dentist
before you leave the surgery. You then regularly
apply the whitening product over a two to four
week period, generally for an hour to overnight
depending on which strength has been prescribed
to you.
In the UK it is illegal for anyone other than dentists
to carry out teeth whitening. Anyone else offering
teeth whitening (e.g. beauticians, hairdressers,
etc) won’t have the right training and knowledge
which could permanently damage your teeth and
gums. Also they will not be able to help you if
something goes wrong.
There is also In-Surgery Power Whitening (laser
whitening) in which gel is applied onto your teeth
and then a light is shone onto the gel to speed
up the whitening reaction. Also here a soft material
will be placed over your gums to protect them.
Performed under supervision, teeth whitening
can result in an amazing and simple improvement
to your smile.
Be aware that tooth whitening can only work
on natural teeth. It will not work on any types of
false teeth such as dentures, crowns and veneers.
Also fillings will not be bleached. If you have any
fillings in the front teeth, after the bleaching
process your fillings may need to be changed to
match the new colour of the teeth.
Dr. Golnar Hassirian D.M.D
Dover
To maintain the whiteness it is important to brush
your teeth with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes
every day, use fluoride mouthwash and cut down
on foods that stain your teeth. You may also
require an occasional top-up of bleaching in the
future.
Stoppi