Beautiful White Summer Smiles For Chelmsford Patients

Dull days are hopefully behind us – your discoloured teeth can be too!

Has the recent spell of hot weather started you thinking about the hot summer days, with outside garden parties and barbecues and holidays at home or abroad? If so, you have probably also started to think how to look your best for the summer. Gym memberships often rise at this time and of course, a shopping spree for new clothes is never far away. There is one area though, that some people seem to forget but can make a difference to how you feel and also the photographs that you will look back on in years to come. We are talking about your smile of course.

Many of us have teeth that are stained or have become darker in colour as the years pass by. However well we brush our teeth, some if this is almost inevitable and some degree of discolouration is likely to happen eventually. When this does happen, it can only be reversed using a teeth whitening procedure, or in some cases, dental veneers.

How do we whiten your teeth?

At Blue Sky Dental in Chelmsford, we believe that all of our patients are individuals and should be treated as such. Before providing any treatment we will hold a consultation with you to make sure that you are a suitable candidate for the teeth whitening procedure. While most people will be, those who have badly stained teeth or teeth that are worn, chipped or cracked may be recommended to have porcelain veneers fitted instead.

All of our teeth whitening treatments are carried out at home, but under the guidance of one of our cosmetic dentists. They will discuss with you how white you want your teeth to be. Some people prefer a subtle improvement and our general whitening treatment is ideal for this. For those who are seeking a whiter ‘celebrity smile’, we can provide the Enlighten system which can also be topped up with some additional ‘in house’ whitening if required for that extra whiteness. The choice is yours and we will discuss this in detail with you during the consultation.

In order to whiten the teeth, and after deciding on the shade of whiteness that you want, we will take impressions of your teeth. These are used by a special laboratory to produce the trays that will hold the whitening gel and which will fit securely over your teeth. The custom made trays will minimise the risk of any of the gel from coming into contact with your gums which can cause burning.  When the trays have been returned to us, we will provide the gel and provide instructions on how to use it.

In general, you will need to wear the trays for a couple of hours or so a day for around a fortnight to see the best results. You will see some improvements after a week but we encourage you to continue wearing them until the full results are seen.

On completion, we are confident that you will be delighted with your new smile and ready to go for the summer months ahead.

Maintaining your beautiful new smile

As you probably already know, the teeth whitening investment is unfortunately not a permanent one and your teeth will gradually darken again over a period of time. You can help to slow this down by helping to keep your teeth as white as possible for as long as possible.

Naturally, you need to brush your teeth well to remove any staining, as well as keep them healthy too of course.  While we don’t recommend a teeth whitening toothpaste to try to whiten your teeth (if you try, you will almost certainly be disappointed with the results), it may be useful to help maintain the whiteness a little longer. Most toothpastes will help though so feel free to continue to use your favourite brand.

You should moderate foods that are known to stain teeth such as curries, dark berries, soya sauce etc. There are many lists of this online to help you make an informed decision.  The same applies to drinks with red wine being a particular culprit. Avoid acidic drinks too as these erode the enamel surface of the teeth, causing them to lose their smoothness. This will help staining products stick more easily to the surface of your teeth.

Those of you who have veneers fitted will be able to keep your teeth whiter for longer but it is still important to brush and floss your teeth well. Failure to do so can result in tooth decay which may cause the veneers to become loose and potentially detach from the tooth. If this does happen, please contact us straight away and under no circumstances should you attempt to reattach them yourself.

If you look at your teeth and feel that they could be whiter and brighter than they currently are, the best way to improve this is with professional help from our Chelmsford cosmetic dentist team. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation to see how we can help you, then please call Blue Sky Dental today on 01245 211070. We look forward to seeing you!