Teeth Whitening- Your Path to One Dazzling Smile!

If you have not noticed, brighter, lighter and whiter teeth have become the norm across all ages.  That’s because teeth whitening by bleaching is a successful, conservative and relatively inexpensive and safe alternative to give your smile a makeover. Your teeth can become discoloured by stains on the surface or by changes in the tooth material. There are 3 common reasons why:

• Extrinsic discolouration — This occurs when the outer layer of the tooth (the enamel) is stained. Coffee, wine, cola or other drinks or foods can stain teeth. Smoking also causes extrinsic stains.
• Intrinsic discolouration — This is when the inner structure of the tooth (the dentin) darkens or gets a yellow tint. You can get this type of discolouration if:
  • You had excessive exposure to fluoride during early childhood
  • Your mother used tetracycline antibiotics during the second half of pregnancy
  • You used tetracycline antibiotics when you were 8 years old or younger.
  • You had trauma that affected a tooth when you were a young child. A fall, for example, may cause damage to the developing permanent tooth.

• Age-related discolouration — This is a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. As we get older, dentin naturally yellows depending on our diet and lifestyle choices. The enamel that covers the teeth also gets thinner with age allowing the dentin to show through. Finally, chips or other injuries can also discolour a tooth, especially when the pulp has been damaged.