Teeth Whitening in Harley Street London

Let’s face it, no one really wants a mouth full of stained teeth!  However, for some time, where ordinary brushing failed, there was very little that could be done to whiten a person’s teeth. Of course, there are tales of home made teeth whitening ideas such as brushing with bleach and even caustic soda. This is definitely not recommended!

As we age, our teeth naturally darken due to the changes in the mineral structure of the tooth. In addition to this natural process come all the additional factors which cause discolouration of the teeth such as tea and coffee, red wine and of course, smoking. Some antibiotics such as tetracycline which is used to treat acne may also have the side effect of causing discolouration of the teeth.

There are of course gums and toothpastes on the market which claim to whiten teeth and some may possibly work to a small extent, but for a truly genuine tooth whitening treatment a visit to your cosmetic dentist is a must. Indeed the General Dental Council in the UK has called for tougher restrictions on those who are allowed to carry out the teeth whitening. This in itself should indicate that it is best be carried out by a professional dentist and not attempted at home with a DIY tooth whitening kit.

There are many different procedures which can be used to whiten the teeth at the dental practice. These include bleaching; indeed, the procedure has sometimes been referred to as tooth bleaching. However, increasingly, professional dentists are turning to laser tooth whitening treatment with great success. Of course, it is important to have an initial consultation with your dentist to discuss the various options available as some may be more suitable than others for the various types and degrees of discolouration.

Laser teeth whitening treatment works by placing whitening gel which contains hydrogen peroxide onto the teeth before a cool LED light is applied to it. This causes the molecules which are causing the discolouration to disperse. It has been shown that using this type of laser tooth whitening procedure, a tooth can be whitened between ten to fifteen times its’ previous whiteness.  Of course, some people may not wish for a full ‘Hollywood smile’ type brightness and instead opt for a more natural looking degree of whiteness.

The tooth whitening procedure is entirely painless and is especially popular with those who have sensitive teeth and because it does not involve the removal of any part of the actual tooth, this type of tooth whitening procedure can be carried out on future occasions if necessary. Slight sensitivity may be felt for a short while after the process but this typically fades away quickly.

There may be times when a tooth is so badly stained or discoloured that even laser tooth whitening treatment has an insufficient effect. In these cases, a dentist is likely to recommend that the patient has a dental veneer fitted. This is a very thin piece of tooth like material which is fitted to the front of a tooth in the same way as a false finger nail is fitted.

Whichever method is used however, there is very little doubt about the increase in confidence whitened teeth brings, along with a renewed willingness to smile.