It seems we have finally succumbed to the American belief that the brighter and whiter the smile the younger and happier you feel.
Stains and discolouration can accumulate despite sipping through straws and brushing after meals. Luckily, a host of new high-tech products make whitening and brightening easier and less costly than ever
Is the quest for a bright, sparkling smile as effective as we are lead to believe?
Well the simple answer is yes.
There are three main “whitening” approaches.
Toothpastes containing anti-staining agents or hydrogen peroxide cost a little more than regular toothpastes and are for daily use. They successfully lighten a couple of shades and certainly keep stains to a minimum but daily continued use is necessary for optimum results.
Home-use bleaching kits involve placing a hydrogen peroxide solution in bleaching trays which are worn over patients’ teeth at night for two weeks These claim to lighten tooth colour by up to six or eight shades and are the second most popular treatment but has slower results.
And lastly the quickest and most effective method is in salon LED Teeth Whitening, in which a hydrogen peroxide solution within a gel tray is placed in your mouth and pressed snugly against the teeth while you bite down on the tray. A strong LED light then activates the solution within the tray. Teeth can whiten significantly up to 4-5 shades lighter. Now that Beauty Clinics are offering this service the price per treatment has reduced considerably.
These techniques all target stain particles from food and drink which get trapped in the surface layers of tooth enamel.
So within your lunch break you can go from yellow to Hollywood white and give Julia Roberts a run for her money!
