White teeth usually reflect sound oral health of an individual. Such teeth are also aesthetically appealing. Surveys conducted all over the world reveal an interesting fact. As many as 3 out of every 10 people admit that the first thing they notice about others is their teeth.
This is not all! Nearly 1 out of every 4 people says a person’s smile is the most important facial aspect that they remember after meeting someone. To cut a long story short it can be safely concluded that your teeth – or their appearance – is important enough to make or break the first impression about you.
Teeth-whitening
is crucial as well as helpful to keep your teeth spotless and attractive. Unfortunately, a lot of misconceptions and myths exist in gross about this cosmetic dentistry
procedure. In the following section of the blog post let us explore few facts
about the procedure. These facts are not only interesting but are also expected
to be useful to take a confirmed decision.
First
let us start with the reasons that make the teeth yellowish and dull.
Factors that make the teeth yellowish and dull
The
teeth or a tooth has porous surface. Thus a tooth absorbs materials from every
food you eat and fluids you drink. Staining of the teeth is nothing but a
natural phenomenon resulting from absorption of the colours from your foods and
drinks – particularly coffee and red wine. Heavy smoking or any other form of
tobacco consumption is also known to stain the teeth. In some cases certain
medications also lead to dull and yellowish teeth.
Usually
teeth whitening treatments open up the pores on the tooth surface once more to
remove the precipitated discolouration. Active charcoal is a better absorber or
stains compared to our teeth. it is an excellent agent to scrub and absorb
surface stains from the teeth to give those a white and healthy appearance.
Teeth whitening procedures do not cause damage to the teeth
Some
people believe that whitening treatments actually damage the teeth. it becomes
really difficult to find truth in this myth. As long as you follow the
instructions properly or use the treatment as per direction the procedure
proves to be safe. Unfortunately a section of people cannot hold themselves
within the limits as directed and they surpass those directives and overdo the
treatment for faster or better results. For them adverse effects of the
treatment are difficult to avoid. But when you stay within the limits,
teeth-whitening is one of the safest treatments in modern dentistry.
The
majority of treatments related to whitening of the teeth involve temporary
opening of the pores of the teeth and removing stains. The teeth automatically
close those pores. Re-mineralising of the teeth is essential after every
teeth-whitening procedure.
Little sensitivity is normal after a teeth whitening treatment
Tooth
sensitivity is a nasty phenomenon. People suffering from this problem
experience sharp jolt of pain and discomfort while having hot or cold. Even in
many cases having anything sugary or citrus also leads to the same pain and
discomfort in the tooth. Teeth whitening treatments are likely to contribute to
the problem of tooth sensitivity. Thus you may have to bear with the pain and
discomfort of a sensitive tooth even more after undergoing a teeth whitening
procedure. However this problem is temporary and gets sorted out on its own
within a few days at the most after a teeth whitening treatment. This temporary
sensitivity usually occurs 12 to 36 hours after undergoing the procedure.
Certain types of discolouration cannot be removed
The
natural shade of some people is little yellowish or off-white. This can be
caused by their genetic factor. Even certain medications are known to turn the
teeth little yellowish. As people grow older the teeth usually turn darker.
As a
matter of fact, teeth whitening treatments – irrespective of the type you
choose – focus mostly on surface stains. Most of these cosmetic dentistry
procedures cannot alter or improve deeper discolouration of the teeth that take
place at the intrinsic level. The procedures cannot affect the genetic factor
of yellowish teeth either.
Whiten the teeth before going to bed at night
Whitening
procedures open up the pores of the teeth. As a result the teeth are prone to
re-stain right after a whitening treatment. To avoid that you must not eat or
drink anything other than plain water right after the treatment. When you
whiten the teeth at night before going to bed, there is hardly any opportunity
for you to drink or eat anything till the day break, explains an experienced teeth whitening
dentist in London. Thus the teeth get prolong time till daybreak to
rehydrate as re-mineralise following the treatment.
Tartar or calculus also discolours the teeth
A good clean makes the teeth shine brighter. This is why plaque removal is important to restore the whiteness of your teeth. if you ignore proper brushing and flossing of the teeth, plaque hardens to form tartar or calculus. This hardened plaque makes a significant negative effect on your teeth colour.
