Teeth Whitening – 8 Facts to Help You Decide
Before proceeding with having your teeth whitened, here are some facts to help you make the best decision:
Teeth whitening cannot whiten every tooth.
Did you know that teeth colour can also depend on individual genetics? Your actual teeth colour is given from birth. Teeth whitening will remove any stains accumulated over time; it won’t change the natural colour underneath those stains.
Our teeth are like sponges
Are you aware that our teeth are like sponges? Our teeth have pores, so every colourful thing you eat and drink is absorbed into the pores of your teeth. Age and over-consumption of highly pigmented foods and drinks stains your teeth.
Professional teeth whitening does not damage your teeth
A misconception of having your teeth whitened is that it damages your teeth. This has come from the countless illegal whitening procedures given by beauticians and DIY products available to the public, ending in devastating results. The truth is that professional dental whitening supervised by your dentist will not damage your teeth as dentists only use approved whitening treatments (such as Boutique Whitening) with a safe amount of peroxide to brighten your teeth. The gels use temporarily open the pores in your teeth to gently lift the stains. After your whitening treatment is finished, your teeth will remineralize and rehydrate.
Sensitivity during teeth whitening is normal.
More than half the adult population suffer with tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity can be passed down through genetics, but it’s usually common from broken/cracked teeth and the thinning of enamel. Tooth whitening opens up the pores and dehydrates the teeth, which can cause temporary teeth sensitivity owing to not being able to guard the nerves from different temperatures. But as long as you are hydrating, and using a toothpaste that specializes in tooth sensitivity such as BioMin, your teeth will be fine.
You can only have Teeth whitening on your natural teeth.
Teeth whitening cannot work on veneers, bridges, fillings and dental implants. These are all made up from artificial materials to match the teeth around them. Teeth whitening does not damage any of them, but it also cannot change their colour. Therefore, you may be advised to explore the options for ensuring all of your teeth – natural and artificial – are the same colour at the end of the treatment.
Night time is the optimal time to have your teeth whitened.
Boutique Whitening treatment has options for Night and Day to suit your needs. But did you know the ideal time to whiten your teeth is during the night? Whitening treatments open your pores, which leads to a higher risk of staining during the day while you are eating. So doing your treatment at night is giving fewer opportunities for further staining. You will boost the remineralizing and rehydrating process at night as well.
Teeth whitening best results show within weeks after treatment.
Your final colour after teeth whitening actually develops weeks after the treatment. This is because the teeth have a chance to rehydrate properly, revealing the actual colour up to two weeks later.
Teeth Whitening doesn’t happen in just one treatment – it’s a process.
Did you know it takes at least 4 days to begin removing tough stains from your teeth? The patient needs to understand the stains are years in the making. Chemically, it is impossible to remove stains overnight or in 24 hours safely. To make sure no damage occurs, whitening treatments have to be carried out gradually to penetrate deep into the stains.
Once your teeth have been whitened, the whiteness is easy to maintain with the appropriate diet and oral health care.
Speak to your dentist today about Boutique Whitening options for you.
