Want whiter, brighter teeth? Who doesn’t? One option for you may be tooth whitening, also called bleaching. The dental clinic is the best place to seek professional advise.
Many patients have specific questions about tooth whitening. You may be concerned about it's cost, or perhaps about it's safety.
First look at yourself in a mirror. Ask yourself if you feel self-conscious when you smile and if you make attempts not to smile to hide certain aspects of your teeth. Are your teeth visible when you smile? What colour are they? Ask a friend about the colour of your teeth. Then ask yourself how often you wish you had whiter teeth. Weigh the answers to these questions before you consider whitening your teeth.
Our teeth yellow with age. Coffee, tea, cola drinks, soya sauce, cigarettes, pan, tobacco, food colouring, etc. will hasten this process. Many parents remark that the milk teeth of their child were whiter than the permanent teeth that have taken their place - how true! Permanent teeth are yellower than milk teeth, and tend to get darker with age.
It is necessary to have a healthy mouth before beginning to whiten your teeth. Bleeding gums, cavities, sensitive teeth, and other conditions must first be treated. The teeth must be cleaned and polished, to ensure that the whitening gel comes into direct contact with the teeth.
Possible side effects include increased sensitivity to cold during the treatment, tongue and lip soreness, and possibly throat irritation. These side effects always resolve in one to three days after completion or interruption of treatment.
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