Having a bright, white smile is something everyone wants to have. Dealing with day to day life has necessitated drinking coffee and tea to stay alert during the day, or sodas and wine when getting together with friends. While enjoyable, these activities tend to thin out the enamel of one’s teeth. Apart from this, ageing also plays a significant role in how one’s set of pearly whites inevitably get discoloured. Religiously brushing one’s teeth doesn’t seem enough to keep the stains at bay.
Teeth whitening procedures have then been made available to remedy this problem. There are natural methods available for one to try, such as oil pulling and using either baking soda or banana peels in addition to one’s toothpaste. Those looking for immediate results though will find that these methods take more time to show progress. It is then best recommended to see a dentist instead.
“If done professionally and properly, whitening procedures are safe to do, provided it is not done too often,” says Dr Mariana Maglutac-Serna, Senior Dentist of Affinity Dental Clinics BGC. “The teeth are cleaned and all soft tissues are protected, after which a UV-light activated gel is placed on the teeth. Generally the procedure opens up the enamel and dries it out, being able to separate all the toxins and stains away from the tooth.” This process gets the lightest colour out of one’s natural tooth, making it vary with each person.