Teeth Whitening

Reasons to get Teeth Whitening

There are many reasons to go for teeth whitening. You may wish to look your best for a social event or professional function. A bright and pristine set of teeth projects confidence and a healthy looking appearance. If you are a smoker or heavy coffee drinker, your teeth may take on a grey or yellow shade due to prolonged staining effects. Whatever your reasons for teeth whitening, you are obviously looking for the quickest, safest and most effective method out there that can help to minimize the discolouration – to achieve a healthy, beautiful smile.

Over the Counter Products

Over the counter products bought at chemists and supermarkets are often ineffective as they use acids instead of peroxide gels to whiten the teeth. Some are paint on materials and some require you to ‘boil and bite’ (heat the gum shield supplied and then mold it to your teeth). This does not guarantee a custom fit and can lead to the product leaking and causing harm.

Additionally there are non-bleach whitening toothpastes available that can remove the surface stains. Charcoal toothpaste falls into this category as it has an abrasive quality but doesn’t change the colour of the tooth.

Bleach-containing toothpastes such as Colgate Optic White, which contains 1-2% hydrogen peroxide, can be effective for minimally brightening teeth. As it is only applied for the 2 minutes while brushing the active ingredient doesn’t get much time to do its job.

Charcoal Toothpaste

The main ingredient in charcoal toothpaste is activated charcoal which is made from oxidised substances like wood, coconut shells, bamboo and various other substances. This activated charcoal is really porous and medically works well to absorb and remove toxins.

However charcoal toothpaste:

• Is abrasive and it may help to remove surface staining such as tea, coffee, wine etc. It does not change the natural colour of teeth, in fact, it may wear down tooth enamel exposing the dentine layer- making teeth appear more yellow
• It may increase sensitivity if used daily because of its abrasiveness
• Most do not contain fluoride, main ingredient that help harden enamel and fight against dental caries/ cavities
• Can increase staining in and around existing dental work such as fillings, crowns, veneers, and near the gum lines.
• Usually more expensive than normal toothpaste with no evidence of it being better than other regular fluorides toothpastes
• It’s messy to use – the black colour goes everywhere; it takes longer to clean the mess than to brush teeth
• No long-term studies have been done with use of charcoal toothpastes. It may do more damage than good.

Philips Zoom! WhiteSpeed

Advanced blue LED light-accelerated whitening delivers dramatic results in minimal time. In 45 minutes your teeth could be up to 8 shades whiter*, reversing stains from food and drinks, ageing, even discolouration from some types of medication.  You’ll leave the dentist chair with an instantly brighter, more confident smile.

Your treatment starts with your dental practitioner checking your current shade, so you can both see the dramatic difference after your treatment is complete.  Once you’re ready, just sit back as your dental practitioner handles the next steps:

• Your dental practitioner prepares your mouth for whitening and applies a layer of advanced whitening gel to your teeth.
• To speed up the whitening process, they’ll shine our WhiteSpeed blue LED lamp onto your teeth. This accelerates the whitening, plus the lamp’s variable settings ensure you’ll get a comfortable experience.
• This is repeated three times - and is completed in just 45 minutes!
• Once you’ve reached your desired shade, your dental practitioner will apply our post-treatment gel to help protect enamel and reduce sensitivity.

Our Top 4 Tips

1. Avoid foods and drinks that stain e.g. coffee, tea, red wine, curry and tomato based sauces such as bolognaise.
2. Drink a glass of water after eating and drinking (especially highly coloured foods and drinks)
3. Floss and brush thoroughly with fluoridated toothpaste twice a day
4. Visit your dental practice every 6 months for a professional clean and removal of extrinsic stains