So you are looking forward to whiten your teeth. As a matter of fact there is not a single soul on this planet who would deny that. Teeth whitening happen to be one of the overwhelmingly popular dental procedures all over the world and the UK is no exception. Britons spend a huge fortune every year to keep their smile white and dazzling.

In course of time and as a natural procedure the human teeth catch up with stains. As a result the teeth look dull which in turn makes your smile less impressive. This natural phenomenon is practically impossible to avoid. And a less attractive or impressive smile affects your aesthetic appeal. But what makes the stain appear? A lot of factors are responsible for some of which include –

• Habitual smoking or consumption of tobacco in any other form
• Excessive intake of popular drinks like coffee, red wine, tea and even fizzy drinks
• Certain medicines are also known to affect the natural whiteness of the teeth (tetracycline for example)

In addition to the factors mentioned above, the natural process of ageing plays a certain role in discolouring the teeth.

On the other hand, as one of the most popular dental procedures in the planet teeth-whitening offers quite a few more options than you can imagine. You must choose one that suits best, suggests a renowned smile clinic dentist in London. The options can be broadly divided into two categories –

• Using bleaching and
• Non bleaching whitening products

Yes, you have to choose between bleaching and non bleaching products to get the teeth whitened. But before getting into that discussion let us take a brief look on how the procedure works.

The procedure involving teeth whitening

A procedure that makes the teeth appear whiter is teeth whitening. In fact any procedure that brings this effect falls under the category. As we have just mentioned above – the procedure involves using of either bleaching or non bleaching products. As a matter of fact usually people use the terms ‘bleaching’ and ‘whitening’ interchangeably. But technically the difference is easy to understand. If a product only removes the food debris stuck between the teeth without bleaching then it is a whitening agent or product.

What makes bleaching products so especial? Commercially manufactured bleaching products invariably contain a component named peroxide. It is popularly called ‘active ingredient’ and remains present either as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. This range of products containing the active ingredient can practically remove any type of stain from your teeth surface. Whether your teeth are affected by surface stain or deep stain, bleaching products can help getting rid of the problem. As a result your teeth not only appear whiter but also lighter than the natural shade that you inherited along your family line. As far as bleaching products are concerned, the presence of peroxide concentration varies from product to product. Powerful products have high percentage of peroxide present in those while other have a lower concentration of it.

More interesting facts about bleaching products

We already know about the presence of hydrogen and carbamide peroxides. Now if the truth is to be told, hydrogen peroxide is the actual bleaching agent for the teeth. Does that sound confusing? Carbamide peroxide finally breaks down to hydrogen peroxide while bleaching your teeth.

These days bleaching products for the teeth have unparalleled commercial prospect. As a result these are readily available both at chemist shops and dentists. The ones that are available from dentists are usually stronger as those have higher concentration of the active ingredient present. In contrast the ones available at pharmacies have a lower concentration of the active ingredient. Products that are used by dentists contain no less than 35 to 40% peroxide while those available at pharmacies hardly contain 7% active ingredient. This is the why in-chair whitening treatments performed at a dentist’s office are invariably so faster and satisfactory in result.

To be on the safer side you must consult a qualified dentist every time before getting the teeth bleached or whitened. This way you can surely avoid all unwanted complications that may arise with the procedure. A dentist is certainly the most reliable authority to provide you the right guidance on the matter.

Teeth whitening treatment

An in-chair teeth whitening procedure at a dentist’s office usually lasts about an hour. The procedures are performed using bleaching products that contain 35 to 40% concentration of the active ingredient or hydrogen peroxide. After the bleaching product is applied a special heating lamp is applied to the teeth. This is done thrice at an interval of 20 minutes each between applying of the bleaching product. Some dentists – however – prefer the laser ray. They believe it accelerates the whitening process better. A protective barrier is placed in your mouth before the process or treatment starts. It protects the tongue, the gums and the lips from the corrosive action of the bleaching product as a shield.

The shield or protective gear ensures the bleaching product restricts its action to your teeth alone leaving the soft tissues of the mouth intact. For optimal results dentists provide customised whitening trays to patients. Patients have to follow up the procedure using the bleaching agent on those trays at home.

An in-chair whitening treatment using customised trays involves a lot of money. The products available at pharmacies and supermarkets are significantly popular.

At Smile Clinic London we possess an excellent track record in teeth whitening treatments. The cosmetic dentistry treatment we provide is a tried and tested means to maintain your smile healthy and bright. Our skilled and experienced dentists offer fast and safe professional teeth whitening procedures that only remove the unsightly stains from the teeth surface without any damage to the teeth or other soft tissues in your mouth. Contact us today and book your appointment for teeth whitening in London to avoid the rush.