Teeth Whitening

Like it or not, people do judge you by your smile. In fact a fantastic smile is one of the first things people notice about each other.

Your smile is linked to your personality, health and sexuality. Depending how you feel about your teeth actually affects how you smile from the inside.

If someone said to you, ‘smile – you’re on candid camera!’ think about how you would respond. Are you keen to flash everyone your fantastic smile or are you more likely to use your hand to cover your teeth or not open your mouth at all?

A major, but not exclusive factor that separates good smiles is the whiteness of teeth. There are a couple of reasons that your pearly whites aren’t so pearly and white anymore.

Extrinsic Stains
Firstly there are extrinsic stains, which are mainly caused by careless hygiene.

Plaque is a sticky film that forms on your teeth that is full of bacteria, toxins and food particles. If you run your tongue across your teeth and it feels like you are licking a blanket then that’s a pretty good indicator you have a plaque problem!

Saliva in some people can also increase plaque build up. Things like red wine, caffeine and tobacco can make plaque stains even darker. Thankfully these types of stains can be eliminated with a thorough professional polish, more regular visits to your dentist and a more intense oral hygiene routine at home.

Intrinsic Stains
However, if the stains are intrinsic (within the tooth) treating the problem is a little more complicated.

Even though the enamel on your teeth is the hardest substance in the body, it is porous. Tea, coffee, coke, red wine, certain foods and smoking will all cause discolouration.

Genetics are also a factor (you can thank your parents for that one!). Plus there are certain medications, antibiotics in particular, that if taken at an early age, or when your mother was pregnant will cause a very grey shade in your teeth.

How to fix it
If having a whiter brighter smile is a priority for you then your dentist may offer solutions like porcelain veneers, composite bonding and whitening (or bleaching) treatments, which are all becoming very popular.

There are also whitening strips, home kits and toothpastes, but there are trade offs with these. Firstly they tend not to be as effective, have lower concentration of bleaching agent, take a lot longer to get results and generally only treat surface stains.

Of all the treatments, a whitening process performed by your dentist is the easiest and least invasive, the quickest and most effective. By the way don’t think you can race to your laundry and use any old bleach yourself!

Tooth bleaching chemicals are a gel form of peroxide with other ingredients to control its pH which helps prevent softening of enamel and tooth sensitivity

What does treatment involve?
There are two types of whitening procedures to choose from. Laser whitening which is performed in the chair at the dentist, or a take home self-administered kit.

For laser whitening, a dentist begins by applying a protective material to your gums and lips. There are two in chair teeth whitening agents used in New Zealand – Britesmile and Zoom.

A special whitening solution (that usually contains hydrogen peroxide) is applied to the teeth. A high intensity light or laser is then directed at the teeth, which activates the whitening agent.

The whole treatment can take anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the level of brightness you require and how discoloured your teeth are.

Having the mouth open for so long can get a bit uncomfortable but watching a movie at the same time is the perfect distraction indeed! The beauty of laser whitening is it is a one off treatment producing instant, and usually extraordinary, results.

The self administered treatment is when a dentist takes impressions of the teeth to create a perfectly fitted mouthpiece. You then fill the mouthpiece with a whitening solution, or apply to the teeth, and wear from one hour to overnight.

The concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the gel is not as strong as that used in the laser treatment. The home kits can take from one to three weeks to achieve maximum results. If used as directed, you can experience similar results to the in-chair system, the problem with these treatments is the novelty wears off for most people after only a few applications and therefore maximum results are not always achieved.

As far as sensitivity is concerned this can vary from person to person, and depends on the method used. Most adults usually experience little or no discomfort, however some will find the procedure a little unpleasant. The sensitivity experienced should subside within 24 hours using over the counter anti-inflammatories or Panadol, if need be.

Personal Experience
Personally, I have tried both kinds of treatments. I was told the home kit was a good one but I admit the novelty certainly wore off after four sessions. As a consequence I did not notice any significant changes. Then I tried the Zoom teeth whitening laser treatment recently at Aevitas Dentistry, the results were phenomenal and absolutely worth it.

Cost
If you think your teeth match the colour of recycled paper and would prefer a movie star smile so you can say ‘cheese’ with ease, then an initial consultation with a professional dentist should be your first stop.

Prices vary with home kits from $50-$500 as opposed to a laser treatment which can cost $700-$1200. Always seek professional advice from a dentist who is experienced in teeth whitening procedures…

And remember – your smile is your greatest asset!

Kim and Fleur xx
www.creativewellbeing.com