Dentistry

Professional Teeth Whitening In Solihull: What Treatments Are Available?

patient having in-house Laser Teeth Whitening

The idea of having a Hollywood smile is never a dull one. A bright, white smile is more attractive, more welcoming, and – as many patients report after a teeth whitening procedure – makes you look years younger.

Teeth whitening is very convenient and can do wonders for your confidence and wellbeing. It’s no wonder that people undergo professional teeth whitening prior to going on first-dates, wedding days, staff photo days, interviews, or just any situation where you may need to rely on your smile to do the talking!

Top Reasons For Having Stained Teeth

While stained teeth is mostly a sign of poor oral care, ageing is also a large reason for a fading sparkle – simply because the older we get the more enamel wears away, which is our main line of force protecting us from stains as we grow. In addition to aging, some of the top reasons for stained teeth include:

Smoking Tobacco
Tea and coffee
Red wine
Cola
Dark Coloured Fruit Juices
Tomato-Based Sauces
Curry Ingredients with large levels of pigmentation
Balsamic Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Beetroot

Many items on the list are guilty due to the fact they contain Tannins (as do many natural foods and drinks) which are known to cause unwanted tooth stains, top Tannin culprits also include:

Berries such as Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, cherries, pineapples, lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, guava, pomegranate, grapes cantaloupe, and honeydew all contain tannins.
Some vegetables and grains such as squash, rhubarb, cereal grains, legume seeds, walnuts, and almonds
Dark Chocolate
Cinnamon, Clove, and other whole spices

Now, considering the many various diets that people commit to, trying to avoid tannins altogether seems impossible, especially if you already avoid dairy, gluten or lactose – you’d have to bend over backward to maintain a healthy level of nourishment. So, put your diet first, and professional teeth whitening second!

Now to brighten up the mood, here are some things you’re probably already doing that help you avoid stains:

What You Can Eat/Drink To Avoid Stained Teeth:

Drinking herbal tea or green tea rather than black tea or coffee
Water or milk after meals to rinse
Using a straw with cold drinks or fizzy drinks
Chewing gum, stimulating saliva which cleanses your mouth
Crunchy fruit or veg like apples, carrots celery for a natural tooth scrub
Eating strawberries and bananas
Eating yogurt or cheese

What Kinds Of Professional Teeth Whitening Are Available?

Professional Teeth Whitening will almost every time include a bleaching agent like hydrogen peroxide to remove the unwanted, deep stains and make teeth an overall whiter shade. This method contains high levels of peroxide which provides a much stronger result compared to the home-whitening kits that are available over the counter.

Another method is laser teeth whitening or the use of LED lighting to accelerate the whiting agent like we do here at Smile More Solihull. UV has also been explored but is becoming a thing of the past due to concerns over burns or gum tissue damage.

What is the Whitewash Teeth Whitening Procedure?

You have the choice of either the In-House treatment, or the At-Home treatment. both will take the same amount of time, however, you get more for your money by choosing the In-House method.
We always recommend a consultation to understand your current issues/challenges as well as provide a full Scale and Polish to remove plaque etc prior – if not then the teeth whitening treatment will not provide a thorough result.
The treatment is powerful and provides an impressive transition in just a few weeks – but due to the strength of the solution, we recommend taking advantage of our expertise, as you’ll be much less likely to experience any discomfort.
We develop a custom-made plastic mouth tray that fits snugly over your teeth. Once you’ve added the whitening gel to the tray, it’s simply worn overnight or for a few hours during the day depending on what is recommended to you. Results are seen over 2 weeks and your teeth will appear whiter and brighter.
The effects can last from months to years, so make sure you stick to our advice to get the most out of your money. Don’t worry if they fade earlier than you’d hoped; singular top-up syringes can be purchased and saved for the days leading up to your next special occasion!

Prices Of Teeth Whitening In Solihull

The Home Kit which includes three syringes costs £360. The In-House Method includes a Home Kit and costs just £450. If then you wanted to buy a singular syringe to top up their whitening, this costs just £30 per syringe.
The In-House teeth whitening method consists of 3 lots of gels being applied and then accelerated with the LED accelerator, Blue Laser. However, prior to any In-House teeth whitening treatment, we ensure all patients don’t discover any discomfort during treatment.

The Downsides To Teeth Whitening

The results from teeth whitening can make an incredible difference to your smile, there is no doubt about that. But like many of the good things in life, overuse will see the quality compromised. As with ANY professional teeth whitening methods, you’re putting excess pressure on your enamel through the bleaching process, and overuse can lead to tooth erosion – which as we all know, leads to greater risk of stained teeth.
But you can leverage your teeth whitening overtime so enamel has time to strengthen again once weakened, but note, it WILL NOT grow back if lost. If you’re concerned about weakened enamel becoming a problem, either for yourself or a child, then please consult our team.

How Can You Keep Your Teeth From Staining Again Afterwards?

So you’ve got your teeth as white as you planned and they’re looking great! Now, it’s time to protect your investment. Here are a few things you can do to ensure your new smile continues to shine.