A smile can make a person more attractive. You don’t just look better when you’re smiling, but it’s also proven that people are nicer and more likely to engage in conversation with a person who has a positive attitude.
However, a lot of people lack the confidence to smile due to teeth discolouration. Considered mostly as a cosmetic issue, dentists recommend teeth whitening procedures to make your teeth white and shinier than ever.
If you are looking for a dentist in Liverpool, they can offer several options on how you can easily whiten your teeth depending on the diagnosed cause.
Common Causes of Teeth Discoloration
As time passes, you may notice that your teeth are looking more yellow than usual. There can be several reasons why this happens. Some of these include:
- Age – When you get older, the tooth enamel or the tooth’s outermost covering gets thinner. This reveals a softer layer called the dentin, which is naturally yellow.
- Food and beverages – Drinking coffee, wine, and tea can indeed cause your teeth to be stained. These commonly favoured drinks contain colour pigments called chromogens that attach to the tooth enamel and cause discolouration. Your favourite candies may also be significant teeth discolouration culprits.
- Smoking – If you are a heavy tobacco user, there is a high chance that you have yellower teeth than non-smokers. Tar in tobacco has a dark pigment that easily stains the teeth. On the other hand, Nicotine turns into a yellowish substance when mixed with oxygen, contributing to staining.
- Mouth Injury – Any form of trauma to the teeth can cause discolouration due to inadequate blood flow. Depending on the severity of the mouth injury, your tooth or teeth will recover on their own or die altogether.
- Medicines – As a side effect of taking medications for high blood pressure, allergies, and psychosis, your teeth may gradually start to darken. Children who were exposed to antibiotics during their mother’s pregnancy might grow up to have discoloured teeth.
In-Chair Whitening vs. At-Home Whitening Kits
To start whitening your teeth, your dentist will create a treatment plan that uses gentle to stronger teeth surface whiteners. Any dentist in Liverpool can perform an in-chair whitening procedure or suggest using an at-home whitening kit. But what exactly is the difference between these two options?
In-chair whitening is done professionally by a dentist using a high concentration of whitening gel to give faster and optimum results. The gel usually contains peroxide, which is generally used together with a light or laser.
Your dentist can also recommend at-home whitening kits, which usually contain a mouth tray, whitening gel solution, and LED light for the application. The tray is custom-made to fit the patient’s upper and lower teeth.
It is typically worn during the night to maximise the effect of the whitening gel during sleep.
Are Home Whitening Kits Worth It?
At-home whitening kits are generally used in conjunction with professional whitening procedures. However, it can also be used as a standalone product.
With whitening kits, you can save a lot on the cost of in-chair treatment, which usually takes several sessions to have lasting results. Depending on the dentist’s advice, you can also successfully improve teeth discolouration with regular use.
Due to lower cost and effectiveness, an at-home whitening kit is a good option for removing teeth stains. Along with proper dental hygiene and avoidance of teeth-staining food and habits, you can easily bring back that confident smile.