Is Teeth Whitening Ok for Your Teeth?
Teeth whitening has become one of the most popular choices in cosmetic dental treatment and can be one of the quickest and most effective ways to enhance the appearance of your smile. It’s estimated that 32% of Brits would consider getting their teeth whitened, and a whopping 40% of 18-24-year-olds say that they would, making it a procedure that appeals to many people in the UK.
But is teeth whitening safe? Before undergoing any cosmetic or otherwise procedure, you must always research and ensure you fully understand what you’re getting yourself into. Thankfully, teeth whitening is generally considered safe as long as you get the treatment done by a dentist or dental professional at a reputable dental practice.
What does teeth whitening involve?
Yellowing teeth happens to the best of us; as we get older, our teeth naturally darken and can become stained through lifestyle choices, but it isn’t something that you need to put up with if you don’t want to. Teeth whitening can help reverse the effects of ageing and discolouration, helping you achieve the sparkling, natural smile you’ve dreamed of and envied others for.
Didsbury Dental Practice teeth whitening services offer a choice of methods for whitening your teeth that can be performed in our Manchester practice in less than an hour or from the comfort of your home. Considered one of the best private dentists in Manchester, we have an excellent reputation for the delivery and results of our teeth whitening service.
In-surgery teeth whitening offers intense and noticeable results straight away. A special gel is applied directly to your teeth, and a UV light reacts with the gel to quickly lighten the colour. This process only takes around 60 minutes, so you can get it done during your lunch break and return to the offer with pearly whites.
Who can perform teeth whitening?
Teeth whitening is a form of dentistry and should only be done by a dentist or other regulated dental professional, such as a dental hygienist or therapist. Some beauty salons offer teeth whitening, but it is illegal if a dental professional isn’t present, and having the procedure done in places like this may put your health at risk.
Never accept any dental work from a beauty salon in a similar unlicensed establishment. Always do your research into the dental practice you’re considering to make sure they’re reputable. Do your research into the top 5 private dentists in Manchester or in your area, and always go for a consultation first.
The NHS offer advice on teeth whitening, and it’s recommended only to get your teeth whitened by a dentist or dental professional in person or to speak to a dentist about home whitening kits. Purchasing home whitening kits from anywhere other than a professional dentist is not recommended. Risks are involved with whitening your teeth from unprofessional home-whitening kits.
Any dentist can whiten teeth as long as they’re registered with the General Dental Council. You can check the online register to find out if a dentist is registered.
Benefits of teeth whitening
But is teeth whitening okay for your teeth? As with any cosmetic treatment, there are risks involved, but those risks are significantly reduced when you use a reputable, professional dental practice to whiten your teeth. Generally speaking, teeth whitening is considered safe. The most important thing to do if you’re considering the procedure is to do your research into the dental practice of your choice and go for a consultation.
Not only is the cosmetic treatment safe, but it has many benefits, which often outweigh the very few risks associated with using a reputable dentist. Some of the benefits of teeth whitening include:
- Improved confidence
- A brighter smile
- Reduced bacteria
- Protect your teeth and gums against infection
- Very competitive prices
- Personalised your shade (you don’t have to have them gleaming bright like the sun if that’s not your thing, but you can if you want to!)
- Fast procedure
- Long-lasting results
Aftercare post-teeth whitening
After you have successfully had your teeth whitened safely by a professional dentist, you will be sent away with some advice on how to make sure the effects are long-lasting. Because teeth whitening is generally considered a safe cosmetic procedure, the aftercare advice is usually foods and drinks to avoid and general cleaning and care advice.
Examples of the aftercare advice you are likely to receive from your dentist include:
- Avoid tea and coffee
- Avoid dark sauces
- Avoid dark chocolate
- Avoid acidic foods
- Avoid sour fruit juice
- Use straws
- Floss
- Brush your at least teeth twice a day or after every meal
- Use whitening toothpaste
- Rinse your mouth after eating and drinking
- Don’t smoke
- Consider touch-up treatments
- Maintain your dental check-ups
Other dentistry procedures
You may or may not be aware that there are other procedures that you may want to consider if you want to achieve a smile to be proud of with pearly white teeth. Doing simple things like opting for white fillings can make a difference and look more aesthetically pleasing.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are a very popular way of getting that million-dollar smile you’ve been dreaming of. Getting veneers can be an excellent option for teeth that are chipped, discoloured, or misshaped. They can also be used to remedy irregular spacing, minor crowding and replace worn-down enamel.
Veneers are thin, tooth-coloured, porcelain or composite shells that are custom-made to bond to the front surface of your teeth to restore or improve the aesthetics of the tooth. Veneers can best be described as being like false fingernails but for your smile and provide you with the pearly whites you’re hoping for.
Dental inlays and outlays
Another option to improve your smile is to get dental inlays and onlays. They are restorative treatments used when old fillings need to be removed or replaced or as an alternative when it is no longer possible to fit a standard filling because of significant decay or damage to the tooth.
A dental inlay fills the space between the cusps (or round edges) at the centre of the tooth’s surface. A dental onlay works in the same way but covers one or more cusps or the entire biting surface of the tooth. As a conservative dental treatment, dental inlays and onlays are minimally invasive, meaning only the decayed area of the tooth is removed.
Didsbury Dental Practice
Are you looking for dentistry in Manchester? Didsbury Dental is situated in a leafy neighbourhood in southern Manchester. Regarded as one of Manchester’s premier dental facilities, we have a highly experienced team offering a range of treatments, including emergency dentistry, implants, teeth whitening, restorative dentistry and orthodontics. Didsbury Dental is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology to create beautiful, healthy smiles in tranquil surroundings, delivering patient comfort like no other dental practice.
The team at Didsbury Dental is pushing dental care and smile transformations to the next level, ensuring every patient is treated with the most sophisticated care and the best-customised treatment in a truly relaxed atmosphere. In addition, all of our staff are multi-lingual. Languages spoken at the Practice include German, French, Polish, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.
Didsbury Dental offers comprehensive and compassionate dental care, including emergency dentistry, in tranquil surroundings. Conveniently located in southern Manchester, we can provide you with all your general and cosmetic dental needs with a highly skilled team of distinguished dentists, specialists and hygienists – all under one roof.
Is teeth whitening safe?
To summarise, teeth whitening is widely considered a safe cosmetic procedure as long as you have it done by a reputable, professional dentist. It’s always best to have your teeth whitened in a dental practice, but if you are going to invest in an at-home kit, make sure the kit comes from a qualified dentist’s surgery and don’t be swayed to use illegal beauty salon teeth whitening kits.
