Don’t go overboard in quest for whiter teeth
Almost any add that you see in the magazine, newspaper, or television, you’ll see a person with whiter teeth. This also holds true for most actors. All of this exposure to whiter teeth and a perfect smile have made society want to same thing. Many patients want their teeth to be whiter than the whitest teeth shades available when making crowns or porcelain veneers. It’s gone so far as it has now been called “bleachorexia.” Patients are visiting their dentists with idealistic hope for their smiles and teeth.
Patients think that they can have a perfect smile and whiter teeth, no matter what their present dental situation. Ultra bright smiles are unnatural! Tooth whitening is believed to be a safe dental procedure; however patients do not follow their dentist’s advice and want even whiter teeth. How white is too white? Too much teeth whitening is not a good thing and can lead to gum irritation and sensitive teeth. At a certain whiteness the teeth begin to look unnatural and have a white chaulk or translucent appearance or colour, almost a blue-white appearance. Too much whitening will not let dentists match shades if crowns are needed in the future.
It has also been shown that some whitening toothpastes may be detrimental to the teeth’s enamel and even wear it down. Don’t use gritty toothpastes. Are there any health risks? These are unknown to date, but too white is not natural! In 2006, £138.8 million was spent on teeth whitening procedures in the dental office. It is the most widely asked for cosmetic procedure. Greater than £200 million was spent on over-the-counter teeth whitening products alone.
The whitening procedures available in the dental office use highly-concentrated peroxide gels and cost around £600-700. Custom trays can be fabricated by the dentist and hold a low-concentrated peroxide gel against the teeth for a certain amount of time, and usually costs £100-400. Non-prescription products can also be used, and have various success rates.
Porcelain veneers are also being widely offered as cosmetic procedures, however a portion of the teeth’s enamel needs to be removed, and this is an irreversible procedure.
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