• Teeth Whitening
• November 30, 2019
• by lotus

1. Extrinsic Vs Intrinsic Stains
2. The Problem With Home And Natural Remedies
3. How To Make Your Teeth Healthy And White
4. How To Make Your Teeth More White Professionally
5. Make Your Teeth White With Professional Treatments

Teeth discolouration is a natural part of the ageing process, and if you’d like to know how to make your teeth white, this is the article for you. Despite an overwhelming amount of Internet evidence pointing to natural and home remedies for teeth whitening, professional teeth whitening is still the only tried and trusted way to whiten your smile. At Lotus Smiles Dental, we are committed to safe, affordable teeth whitening for our patients.

Extrinsic Vs Intrinsic Stains

If you smoke or drink lots of coffee or red wine, you may have stains on the surface of your teeth. These stains are extrinsic and are caused by lifestyle factors. Extrinsic stains can also be avoided through professional dental cleaning and brushing and flossing twice daily.

As you get older you may also find that the overall shade of your teeth has become dull and discoloured and may start to look yellow. This is intrinsic staining, and it takes place on the inside of your teeth, inside the dentin that runs through the middle of each tooth. The only way to lighten and brighten yellow teeth is through professional cleaning.

The Problem With Home And Natural Remedies

As our selfie generation has become more comfortable with close-up shots and the desire to look younger, the demand for teeth whitening has increased – and so too have the number of over-the-counter whitening kits and home remedy claims.

The problem with purchasing cheap teeth whitening kits, strips and gels over-the-counter, is that they are not strong enough to remove stains, and can often cause damage. This is either because patients tend to leave the whitening product on their teeth for too long or because the cheaper product doesn’t offer any level of protection when it penetrates the tooth enamel.

The issue with using products from around your home for whitening, is that they are not specially formulated for teeth and can do more damage than benefit. Abrasive substances like baking soda, charcoal, vinegar and lemon juice (even when it’s in toothpaste) can damage your tooth enamel, making it more susceptible to stains in the future, and cause tooth sensitivity.

How To Make Your Teeth Healthy And White

Dental hygiene and strong, healthy teeth are more important than the pursuit of a white smile. Twice daily brushing and flossing as well as six monthly visits to your dentist is fundamental in maintaining a healthy smile.

At your dental check up, you can chat about your whitening options with your dentist. Not every patient is a candidate for teeth whitening. In order to whiten your smile professionally, you need strong and healthy tooth enamel, as well as a mouth free of cavities and decay.

At Lotus Smiles Dental we only offer our patients tried and tested whitening systems that we know work effectively. We work with pola teeth whitening and Philips Zoom because we know we can trust their results.

How To Make Your Teeth More White Professionally

If you have a special event or occasion coming up, or you’d like to whiten your teeth in the quickest most hassle-free way, professional in-chair whitening will yield the fastest results.

With in-chair whitening your dentist is in complete control of the procedure and most patients can whiten their teeth in just one hour.

If you’d prefer more gradual whitening and are not in a rush to see results, a take home kit can be worn for a few hours every day or overnight, until you reach your desired shade of whiteness.

Make Your Teeth White With Professional Treatments

Remember that teeth whitening products with more than 6% hydrogen peroxide must be administered by a professional dentist. In the event that you do decide to whiten your teeth at home it is imperative that you have a pre-whitening check-up and follow your dentist’s instructions, including not exceeding the wear time of the product.

Leaving the bleach on your teeth for too long can cause damage to your tooth enamel and prolonged tooth sensitivity, and isn’t worth the risk.

Also remember that if you expect professional results, you must use professional treatment. Your dentist will discuss the best way forward to help you achieve your whitening goals.

If you’d like to know how to make your teeth white, it’s time to get professional help. Please contact us for whitening consultation: (03) 8737 9359.