Zenith Dental’s Dr Edward Young says “You Get What You Pay For”
“We all smile. The whiter the smile, the better you look and the best first impression you’ll make.”
Why do we want white teeth?
In a recent survey (June 2016), the Oral Health Foundation discovered that nearly half the population in the UK are unhappy with their teeth (48%), with discoloured teeth (64%) listed as the main reason for being unhappy.
As we age, our teeth become much duller and stains from red wine, tea, coffee, food colourings and smoking can take their toll. You might be a bride about to celebrate the biggest day of your life, or an aspiring career person with a bright future aiming to create the best first impression? Perhaps you have given up smoking and wish for your teeth to now feel cleaner, whiter and healthier? Or perhaps you have already had successful cosmetic treatment at our clinic and wanted the ‘icing on the cake?’
With shows such as the X Factor on television, and influences of social media at every turn, it’s becoming more and more mainstream to get the perfect smile. The way we look clearly affects how we feel – with photos and selfies being shared every minute on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook and made available for all to see. For many of us, the thought of being tagged in an unflattering photo is never a nice feeling as we all want to look our best. So much so, there are now filters hiding our imperfections as well as filters that turn our faces into animals. We are now more image conscious than ever and would rather send a silly picture of ourselves than be judged on a real one.
How do we get whiter teeth?
If we head to our high-street pharmacy or supermarket, we come across a sea of whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes and kits, and it’s tempting to try them to save a bit of money.
Perhaps you have already tried them? If you have, it’s more than likely you will have been disappointed with the results. Clever marketing might be persuasive, but the reality is that these products won’t necessarily whiten your teeth, but may help to maintain whiteness. If used over a period of time, they may help to keep stains away better than normal toothpastes. Please be wary of smoker’s toothpaste which can be especially abrasive to tooth enamel.
Why don’t over the counter kits work well?
The reason why over the counter kits don’t tend to work is purely due to the weakness of the active ingredient in them. Kits only release up to 0.1% peroxide and may contain acids like chlorine dioxide that may do your teeth more harm than good.
What’s the alternative?
Having your teeth whitened professionally at a dental clinic will use products up to 6% peroxide – and this stronger concentration is much more effective than anything you could buy over the counter. There are methods that we can use to ensure that the relevant strengths are used for each individual to ensure whitening goals are reached safely and effectively in a clean environment. By law, only dental practitioners can sell high strength whitening products – the General Dental Council takes the view that applying materials and carrying out procedures designed to improve the aesthetic appearance of the teeth amounts to ‘the practice of dentistry’ and shouldn’t be undertaken at home without supervision.
The Process
At my Clinic, it is possible to get a whiter and brighter smile using safe hands and reliable methods – and without breaking the bank. The process is especially easy in a patient that has healthy teeth and gums and can be as simple as a Scale & Polish or professional Airflow stain removal.
If a professional teeth whitening process is decided upon, accurate moulds are taken of your teeth and your own personalised trays are made. Your cosmetic dentist will then teach you how to apply the special whitening gel using the tray system each night and then the process begins. Results happen very quickly. Patients have an option of completing the process with lower concentrations or may choose to have even better results combined with higher strength products that are applied under the supervision of the clinic. In this scenario, more active peroxide gel is used and the process is sped up using an LED or laser light for a more ‘wow’ effect.
Do I need to keep revisiting the Clinic?
Every couple of months, you can top up with one application meaning that the results last indefinitely. Patients will also have access to the gels with very little extra cost for maintenance.
How long does it take to get whiter teeth?
The time taken to whiten will vary from individual to individual depending on the condition of the teeth, the level of staining, and the type of whitening system used. The vast majority of patients should already see an improvement within 3 days.
Teeth whitening at Zenith Dental is:
- £399 for the Home Kit
- £699 for the in-house treatment
How do I schedule a consultation with Dr Young at Zenith Dental?
To schedule a consultation with one of our dentists in Nottingham please contact the Zenith Team to book in your appointment by calling 0115 959 6999 or please email us at info@zenithclinics.co.uk
