Moving Towards A Whiter Smile

Five ways that you can achieve a brighter, more confident smile….

Watching the news, it may seem that we have very little to smile about at the moment. Inflation, drought and an upcoming hike in energy prices are enough to make us want to frown rather than smile. It has often been shown though that smiling is good for us and may release endorphins which can lift our mood. Smiling is also a signal to others about our personality and generally speaking, most people are attracted to those who have a nice smile. Whether in a dating situation or meeting new friends or work colleagues, you are more likely to make a positive impact if you smile.

Given the above, it makes sense then, to have the nicest smile possible. This might mean needing significant cosmetic dental treatment, such as orthodontics, for some people, but most will instantly benefit from having whiter teeth. This doesn’t have to be the ‘brilliant’ white teeth that we often see with younger celebrities, but improving the whiteness by several shades can make a huge difference.

There are a number of things that you can do to have whiter teeth and the team at our Burton and Ashby dental practice offer some sage advice below:

1 – Generally look after your teeth. Making sure that you clean your teeth well will help you to avoid decay and will also help to remove some of the surface staining on your teeth. Having healthy teeth is the bedrock of a great looking smile. Remember too to maintain your regular appointments at Alexandra Dental Care to help keep both your teeth and gums in good condition.

2 – Avoid staining food and drinks – Although it might be difficult to avoid all products that can stain your teeth, there are certain ones that are more likely to lead to premature discolouration. These include tea, coffee, red wine, soy sauce, dark berries and many more. Remember too not to smoke. Not only will this make your teeth very stained but is dangerous for your health and for your oral health too in the form of increased gum disease and oral cancer risks.

3 – See the dental hygienist – Given that some staining is likely as most of us eat an ‘imperfect’ diet, seeing your local dental hygienist is a positive move in not only helping to protect you from gum disease but also improving the whiteness of your teeth by removing some light staining from the tooth surface. Although this is not a substitute for more effective teeth whitening methods, it can certainly help to lighten the colour of lightly stained teeth and is good for your overall oral health.

4 – Have a teeth whitening treatment – Once you reach the stage where you think your teeth are no longer as white as you would like, there is little point in turning to teeth whitening toothpastes and the like. It is also likely, especially as you get older, that much of the discolouration will be coming from the inner dentin part of the tooth that darkens with age. No toothbrush will improve this and this is why our fast acting teeth whitening treatment is so popular amongst our Burton and Ashby patients.  It is a relatively inexpensive treatment that can whiten your teeth by up to eight shades, transforming them from dull and discoloured to a brighter and whiter smile. For those of you who are nervous dental patients, this is also a non-invasive treatment that should cause you no discomfort.

5 – Porcelain dental veneers – There will, no doubt, be some of you reading this who are thinking that their teeth are ‘too far gone’ for any of the above advice to work. There is some good news for you; whilst a teeth whitening procedure might have a limited effect on heavily stained or discoloured teeth, there is still an option available for you in the shape of dental veneers. Instead of improving the colour of your natural tooth enamel, porcelain veneers are used instead to replace it. This is an excellent solution for most people in this situation and once the treatment has been completed, you will be able to have a great looking smile that should last around ten years with good care, before the veneers need to be replaced.

So there you are. Your dull and discoloured teeth can become a thing of the past, both by looking after them better but also by using the expertise of our experienced team. If you would like to know more about these treatments and are interested in giving your teeth whiteness a real boost, you can call Alexandra Dental Care on 01283 216347 and arrange a consultation with one of our cosmetic dentists.

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