Whitening Your Not-So-Pearly Whites

Are your teeth not as white as they used to be? Stained, dirty, and less than pearly white teeth affects millions of people all over the world, and while it is not exactly a unique condition, it can be a source of worry to most people.

When your teeth are not as pearly white as they should, it can affect your level of confidence, so that you don’t want to talk or smile too much in public. Thankfully, you don’t have to live with a smile you are not happy with. If you are concerned about the state of the whiteness of your teeth, a teeth whitening procedure may be what you need.

Teeth whitening can restore your teeth back to their former glory, so that you can talk, laugh, and smile as often as you want in public, without feeling ashamed of your dentition.

What exactly is tooth whitening?

As we get older, the outer enamel on our teeth tends to wear out, and will eventually cause the dark tissue underneath to be exposed. This can lead to less than pearly white teeth and teeth discolouration. Smoking, drinking coffee, tea, and wine, as well as taking certain medications can also cause the teeth to discolour. There are also people who have naturally coloured or brown teeth.

Teeth whitening process is a quick and safe way of removing stains and discolorations and restoring the whiteness of your teeth. This is one of the most popular dental procedures for improving the way your teeth look, and for getting whiter and brighter smiles.

How does teeth whitening work?

Most people are afraid to go for a whitening procedure because they don’t know how it works and are unsure of how safe it is.

Teeth whitening procedure is definitely one of the safest dental procedures available. The dentist will carry out the process, making use of authentic teeth whitening products. Of course, there are a number of similar products that can be used at home to achieve some level of teeth whitening, but dental specialists agree that virtually all the DIY teeth whitening products you will find in the market contain less than the required level of hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, which means you will not get the desired result.

While it is true that DIY options will not give the ideal whiteness, it does make a small difference at an affordable rate, however, if you want a complete teeth cosmetic makeover, the procedure should be done by a professional in a medical environment.

Teeth whitening is not a white time procedure. It is something that needs to be repeated a number of times before you can get your perfect, pearly white teeth.

Why you should visit the dentist to whiten your teeth

As already established, there are a number of DIY teeth whitening products that you can use at home to whiten your teeth, but these products will not give you the perfect pearly white teeth. Of course, you will notice a significant difference, but not as much as someone who actually did the cosmetic procedure at a dentist.

While it is true that you can whiten your teeth for less at home, there are several reasons why visiting a dentist to whiten your teeth is worth the extra cost. Some of the reasons are outlined below:

• Whitening your teeth at the hands of a professional guarantees your total safety. You will not get injured, and every aspect of the process will be done in a professional and safe setting.
• The dentist will check to make sure that you are a suitable candidate for a teeth whitening procedure. If you have inflamed gums or other dental issues, you will be advised not to proceed with the whitening procedure.
• Your gums will be protected with a dental shield so that you don’t get injured during the process.
• The dentist will control the treatment, level of application, and duration so that at the end of the procedure, you will be satisfied with the results.
• At the dentist's, there is little or no chance of something going wrong, whereas at home, accidents can happen.

How long do teeth whitening procedure take?

Teeth whitening procedure is similar to a lot of medical procedures in that the duration of the process is determined by the severity of the situation.  What this means is that the length of time it will take to whiten your teeth to your satisfaction will depend on the level of discolouration.

A typical visit takes between 30 minutes to one and a half hours, and while very little discolouration may be handled in just one visit, some whitening processes take up to ten visits before the desired result is achieved.