Pros and cons of teeth whitening

There’s no more need to be shy. Teeth whitening will help you regain confidence in your appearance and let you make a great first impression every time.

Is your reflection in the mirror getting you down because of your yellow or greyish teeth, and it only seems to get worse with the years? Are your fillings or a darkened tooth from a root canal stopping you from showing a nice open smile? If that’s the case, follow the footsteps of an increasing number of adults who are going white—that is, by teeth whitening!

Let’s be clear: despite what Hollywood might suggest, very few people can boast natural teeth that are truly bright white. The colour of natural teeth usually ranges from greyish-white to yellow. And it’s normal to see our teeth get darker with the years. Eating or drinking certain foods such as coffee, tea, red wine, and grape juice only compounds the problem. Cigarette smoking also discolours the teeth.

However, such staining is not inevitable. Several methods of teeth whitening are available, to give you or give you back a bright smile that will help you gain confidence in yourself and let you make a good first impression, every time.

Several products that can whiten the surface of the teeth are available in gum or toothpaste form. But those who are looking for more significant results usually turn to peroxide-based teeth whitening products, available in drugstores. However, you should know that the effectiveness of these products varies from one person to the next. Furthermore, these products do not effectively whiten dental work, such as crowns, veneers, prostheses, fillings, and teeth that have had a root canal.

Another option is to undergo a professional teeth whitening at the dental clinic. Your dentist will use one of the three main techniques, depending on your teeth and your budget.

1. a heat-activated whitening solution (or activated by light and heat)
2. a mouth guard that contains a whitening agent, to wear at home
3. a whitening solution mixed in toothpaste, which you will use to brush your teeth

If the treatments provided by dentists are more expensive than over-the-counter products, it is because the techniques are better targeted to the individual and the products used are professional grade concentrates that give faster and brighter results.

In all cases, it is better to consult a dentist before undertaking a teeth whitening treatment at home. He or she will examine the cause of the discoloration and give you an opinion on the appropriateness of such a treatment for yourself.