Teeth whitening is done in order to get lighten discoloured teeth and make them appear whiter. While the shape, colour and size of our teeth are typically determined at birth, there are many lifestyle factors that cause our teeth to get stained and appear yellow in colour. It could be because of drinking too much red wine or too much caffeine or perhaps because of smoking. Age is also an influencing factor. The good news is there are now several effective and safe teeth whitening procedures that you can opt for in order to make your teeth look brighter and whiter.

Are you a Candidate for Teeth Whitening?

If you are in good health, then you are a good candidate for teeth whitening. We are specialized in this process and can help restore your smile without costing an arm and a leg.

It is important to remember that teeth whitening is best avoided if you are pregnant as the effects on the foetus are still not determined. You should also avoid this procedure if you have gum disease as it can irritate the gums. Do you smoke? Smoking is the number one cause of stained teeth in people who smoke and continuing to do so will cause the teeth to turn yellow again so unless you intend to give up smoking altogether, it is best not to get your teeth whitened.

Types of Teeth Whitening Procedures

There are basically two types of teeth whitening procedures- Vital Teeth Whitening and Non-Vital Teeth Whitening.

The basic difference between the two is that vital teeth whitening is performed on a tooth that still has a live nerve, whereas the vital teeth whitening is done on a root canal tooth, which does not have a live nerve. In this case, the dentist places a gel inside the tooth and covers it with a filling, which whitens the tooth from the inside.

After you have undergone teeth whitening the dentist will recommend that you refrain from smoking and drinking excessive amounts of tea, coffee and red wine as all of these will re-stain your teeth.