A Whiter Smile – The Safe Way In Bedford
Teeth whitening that won’t risk the health of your teeth!
It is probably fair to say that most people would prefer it if their teeth were a little whiter than they currently are. If we could just click our fingers and our smile would become whiter, I suspect we would all try it. It’s also likely that people are aware of cosmetic dental procedures that can achieve this but may be uncertain about what these actually consist of.
We will look at the options we have available shortly but first we’d like to raise awareness of the dangers of ‘surfing’ the internet and perhaps trusting it too far when it comes to ‘advice’ for how to whiten your teeth yourself.
The dangers of DIY dentistry
If you come across suggestions on how to whiten your teeth cheaply using home methods, there is a good chance that this means one of two things, or possibly even both. Firstly, they probably don’t work. There is a good reason why teeth whitening should be left in the hands of a professional dentist and unfortunately some suggestions are just plain ridiculous and have no basis in truth whatsoever. Many of these are relatively harmless but that is not always the case.
The second group may have some basis in fact but can also have serious consequences that far outweigh any small advantages that they might produce. A blatant example of this is brushing your teeth with household bleach. This is a completely crazy idea and one that could prove highly dangerous if swallowed. Even if you don’t swallow, you are likely to burn your gums and ruin the enamel on your teeth. Less obvious perhaps is using lemon juice to whiten your teeth. While lemon juice is a safe ingredient, it is extremely acidic and could also badly damage your tooth enamel. Any small improvement in the colour of your teeth will be more than offset by the greatly increased risk of overly sensitive teeth and even tooth decay.
The bottom line is that it really isn’t worth risking your teeth and gums by attempting it yourself and you should contact our dentist in Bedford for a consultation where we can discuss the best way of achieving your aims.
Teeth whitening procedure
Before we move on to the treatments themselves, we are sure that some of you are probably saying ‘ah yes, but what about the cost?’. The reality is that professional teeth whitening will always cost more than attempting to do it yourself. We provide a range of payment plans that can help you spread any costs involved and strongly believe that having this done professionally is not only much safer than risking any DIY attempts but will also produce results that you will be highly delighted with.
Let us move on then to the teeth whitening procedure itself.
This is a safe and highly effective treatment that is designed for each individual customer based on what they are aiming for. The whitening gel and the time that the treatment is applied can be adjusted to give you either the ‘whitest white’ possible or to simply improve the colour of your teeth by just a few shades for a more subtle improvement.
We currently use the ‘Novon’ custom home teeth whitening system provided by White Dental Beauty or ‘Poladay’ or ‘Polanight’ depending on the outcome of your consultation with us. These systems enable you to apply the whitening gel at home, allowing you to whiten your teeth whilst relaxing watching TV (or sitting in the garden if the summer allows!) You will be provided with custom trays which are especially made for you and ensure a comfortable but secure fit over your teeth to prevent any of the bleaching agent coming into contact with your gums or other soft tissues of the mouth. These will need to be worn for a few hours each day and the full effects of this treatment should be seen in approximately two weeks. This is a highly popular and successful method that has been used by many of our Bedford patients.
Porcelain dental veneers
The above systems work extremely well for most people, but this might not be the case for everyone. People that might fall into this category are those who have teeth that are heavily stained or that have suffered minor, but visible, damage that would remain visible after the whitening treatment and would spoil their smile.
Patients in this category may benefit from having porcelain dental veneers attached to their teeth. These are very fine layers of porcelain which can be adjusted to whatever shade of white you require. This is a very effective way of attaining consistent and long lasting improvements as the veneers can last for around ten years providing that you look after them correctly.
If you would like a whiter smile than you currently have, please don’t risk damaging your teeth by attempting to do it yourself and instead, book yourself in for an initial consultation with one of the cosmetic dentists here at The Dental Centre Bedford. We will be pleased to offer you advice and answer any questions that you may have about the treatments mentioned above. You can book your appointment today by calling us on 01234 819868.