Cosmetic Dentist Gold Coast talks about Teeth Whitening

Not all of us are blessed with straight dazzling white teeth. Some teeth have a touch of yellow, some have been stained by coffee and nicotine, others have yellowed with age. It is important to remember that teeth whitening treatments cannot miraculously make your yellowish teeth super white. They can only lighten your teeth’s present colour.

A comparison of teeth whitening treatments

Cosmetic Dentist-supervised treatments

While there are different methods available, the usual procedure is:

Your teeth are first cleaned professionally with the dentist making sure your gums are healthy and all cavities are filled.

Your gums are protected with a barrier before the whitening paste is applied on your teeth. Hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide is often the active ingredient used in the paste.

The whitening paste is applied, rinsed off, and then re-applied several times. A couple of treatments will be needed to achieve the appearance you want.

For faster teeth whitening, some dentists also recommend at-home systems to supplement your treatment. Here, you will have to wear a custom-made tray for about two hours every day. The whitening paste used in this system may contain sodium fluoride to help strengthen your teeth. The combination of dental visits and at-home systems will result in whiter teeth.

Store Bought Over-the-counter kits

Over-the-counter kits available from pharmacies and stores usually only contain a small amount of the active ingredient. As such, they may not be as effective as tooth whitening kits available at your dentist. Also, some OTC kits may be rough in texture and may contain some mild acid.

While OTC kits are cheaper, they are not as effective as a treatment supervised or recommended by a dental professional. You might even end up spending more in the long run.

Whitening toothpastes

A lot of toothpaste brands now brandish themselves as whiteners. In some respects, they can whiten teeth by helping removing stains. They can also help maintain the appearance of a professionally whitened set of teeth.

It is always best to consult a Cosmetic dentist for teeth whitening.