Looking for a cost-effective solution to a brighter smile?
Teeth whitening is a popular, safe and non-invasive cosmetic treatment used to lighten and brighten the natural shade of teeth. At Shore Dental, we offer both in-chair Philips Zoom teeth whitening, as well as take-home teeth whitening kits for our patients. We make all our moulds here at Shore Dental. And customise your teeth whitening plan to deliver amazing, safe results.
Click here to learn the main benefits of teeth whitening with our simple infographic.
This is Sarah and Alicia, Shore Dental patients who underwent teeth whitening treatment to improve their smiles.
What stains your teeth?
Many things cause yellow teeth, from genetics to the food you eat and lifestyle choices like smoking. Yellow stains begin on the surface of the tooth (this is your tooth enamel). These stains are most often caused by dark foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, citrus and lollies. Over time, often years, the stains can grow deeper, penetrating the enamel of your tooth and discolouring the dentin underneath. When the dentin becomes discoloured, it darkens the tooth, making it appear yellow or brown in colour.
Foods that can make your teeth yellow:
Sweets
Sugary foods attract bacteria. This bacteria builds on the surface of your teeth, feeding off the sugar you eat. This causes the bacteria to release acids, eating away at the enamel of your teeth,This can result in dark holes and expose yellow dentin beneath the enamel.
Citrus and other acidic foods
Citrus fruits may be full of nutrients, but they need to be eaten sparingly. Citric acid can erode the enamel of your teeth, and expose the darker dentin beneath.
Coffee and tea
You know tannins, the tanning agents used to stain leather? Well they’re in your coffee and tea too. Coffee is especially bad because it is also acidic, which, like citrus fruits eats away at the enamel of your teeth, causing decay and yellow teeth. Teas aren’t much better though. The type of tea you drink can cause different stains; green tea turns teeth grey, black tea turns them yellow.
Dark fruits
Think blueberries, blackberries and pomegranates. Their richly pigmented flesh, just as they can stain your shirt, can also stain your teeth.
Red and white wine
Those tannins in coffee and tea are also found in red wine. White wine, while it doesn’t actually cause teeth stains, the acid in the wine can create small holes in your teeth making it easier for other food and drinks to enter and stain.
Smoking makes teeth yellow too
Smoking causes a whole range of nasty health issues, and your oral health is certainly one of the most severely affected. Smoking causes your teeth to yellow because of the high nicotine and tar levels in the tobacco. When a smoker inhales, a sticky residue of chemicals from the cigarette are left on the teeth. This causes damage to the teeth with just one inhale, and repeated use can stain very quickly.
Is Teeth Whitening safe?
There are many different types of teeth whitening available today. Teeth whitening by your dentist, both in-chair and DIY whitening treatments are safe. Teeth whitening treatments available at beauty salons or shopping centres aren’t as safe. Many of these procedures use dehydration as a technique for whitening teeth, which is a temporary solution that will reverse very quickly.
Clinical studies have proven that whitening teeth with a bleach solution such as carbamide peroxide under supervision of a dental professional is the safest way to brighten teeth.
Teeth whitening treatments available at your dentist are very different from those available in the shopping mall or at a beauty salon.
DIY Teeth Whitening
DIY teeth whitening is a popular, convenient way to whiten your teeth. There are plenty of whitening products on the market, including products you can buy from the supermarket, however it is important to speak to your dentist about the risks of different types of products available. The take-home teeth whitening kits available through Shore Dental are specially designed by dentists for the safest, and most effective whitening treatment. Click the link above to read more.
In Chair Teeth Whitening
At Shore Dental we offer Philips Zoom in-chair professional teeth whitening. In-chair whitening offers radiant results in the safest environment and there’s no take-home care kit needed. Click the link above to learn more about our in-chair teeth whitening treatments.
Teeth Whitening Cost
In-chair teeth whitening and take-home DIY teeth whitening vary greatly in cost. In-chair treatments are more of an investment, yet offer hassle-free whitening with no daily effort required. DIY teeth whitening is a more cost-effective option. Click the link above to see more pricing information.
Patient Case Studies
To see more Shore Dental patient case studies, visit our Smile Gallery.
Why does teeth whitening matter?
