A white smile can have you grinning with confidence. But before you whiten your teeth, your dentist has to check your teeth to see if they are healthy enough for this cosmetic procedure. Our Surrey dental team lists the criteria we use to evaluate whether teeth whitening is an option for you.
Whitening is a great way to enhance the appearance of your teeth. A brighter, whiter smile can help you reveal a more confident grin. That said, before you apply the first whitening strip, there are some things you should know before bleaching your teeth. Our Surrey dental team will need to examine your smile to make sure your teeth are healthy enough for whitening treatment. In this post, we share the criteria for deciding whether teeth whitening is right for you.
Am I a good candidate for teeth whitening?
If you are considering whitening, your first step will be to schedule a consultation with your dentist in Surrey, who will check your teeth for any signs of weakened or thinning enamel, or tooth decay that may impact the results of a whitening treatment. We may also discourage bleaching and recommend other treatment methods such as porcelain veneers if you have periodontal disease or very sensitive teeth.
Individuals with healthy, unrestored teeth (with no fillings) and gums but who have yellow tones to their teeth are the best candidates for teeth whitening.
What should I expect from teeth whitening treatment?
While bleaching has been proven to be safe and effective, keep in mind that some patients may experience slight tooth sensitivity or irritation of the gums, which should resolve itself once treatment ends. As for which results you can realistically expect, dental teeth bleaching can only offer a change in colour from gray to a lighter shade of gray, for example.
Remember that results vary with each patient and visible restorations such as a crown or bridge will not respond to whitening and will remain the same colour as they were previously.
After bleaching your teeth with one of our cosmetic kits, you will typically have at least one vial of bleaching gel remaining from your initial course of treatment. This can be used to "touch up" your smile and you can continue to purchase vials of bleaching gels as needed to use with your custom mouth guard.
Consistent Oral Hygiene Preserves Smiles Best
Regardless of how healthy your teeth are, our dentists always recommend making a visit to the dentist for a checkup and cleaning once every six months (the frequency for your visits depend on the general condition of your teeth and gums and your at-home oral hygiene routine). Combining a solid at-home oral care routine with consistent dental visits is the best way to preserve your white smile and keep oral health issues at bay.