If you look at your smile and no longer see the sparkle you once had, this may be because you have stained or discoloured teeth. Having lacklustre teeth might make you want to hide them away from the rest of the world. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

If your smile doesn’t dazzle quite like you’d like it to, you may want to consider teeth whitening. But what does the process involve and just how effective is it?

Here are the facts behind the teeth whitening process.

Your Teeth Have Pores

Before we delve into the ins and outs of teeth whitening, it’s important to understand that your teeth have pores. Although they’re coated in enamel, which is the toughest substance found in the human body, your teeth are actually porous – much like your skin.

Pores are absorbent. That means that anything you eat or drink which has a strong colour could potentially stain your teeth. Drinks such as coffee, tea, red wine, and certain juices and soft drinks could leave their mark on your smile, as can berries and spicy foods.

Toothpaste Alone Won’t Whiten Your Teeth

There are lots of types of toothpaste on the market that claim they’ll whiten your teeth and brighten your smile. Some do this by tackling baked-on surface stains. But because your teeth can absorb stains, you’ll often need a more comprehensive treatment that goes deeper.

Activated charcoal is often touted as an effective whitening toothpaste. This type of product has become more popular in recent years as people look for natural ingredients. 

The problem with charcoal is that it’s quite abrasive. If used too much, it can actually start to damage the enamel on your teeth. Since enamel is what actually makes your teeth white, this should be a reason in itself to do everything you can to protect this valuable outer layer.

You Should Avoid Shop-Bought Whitening Treatments

These days, everyone wants the perfect selfie smile and there have never been more products available that propose to help you achieve this aim. With any dental treatment, it’s always important to seek advice and support from a trained professional before putting it anywhere near your teeth.

Not only are shop-bought products likely to be less effective than the treatments we offer, but there’s also a risk that they won’t be as safe.

Typically, whitening treatments use hydrogen peroxide as a bleaching agent. For optimal safety, it’s always best that treatments that use this ingredient are administered with the supervision of your dentist. 

Enlighten Can Be Used At-Home

Often, people that opt for shop-bought treatments are just looking for the convenience of whitening their teeth in their own time – from the comfort of their own home. The great news is that using Enlighten gives you the best of both worlds; you’ll get a convenient at-home treatment coupled with the safety that comes from our supervision.

Using a safe whitening gel in custom-made trays that are created to perfectly fit your teeth, stains and discolouration will be gently removed over the course of two weeks. 

Ahead of your treatment, we’ll give you a special toothpaste that strengthens your enamel. This will help reduce any sensitivity you may experience. We’ll also talk you through the process in great detail so that you can be completely confident about what you’ll need to do.

You’ll need to wear your trays every night during your treatment and attend a 45-minute appointment at the end where we’ll give your teeth a final lift. The active ingredient in the whitening gel gradually penetrates deep into your teeth and uses a process called chemical oxidation to eradicate any stains. 

Enlighten Brights Your Smile By 16 Shades

We believe that Enlighten is the best whitening treatment on the market. Using Enlighten, it’s possible to lighten your smile to a B1 brightness. That’s the most natural shade of white it’s possible to achieve! 

One of the best things about Enlighten is that its results look completely healthy. Not only will your smile look fresh and bright, but you’ll no doubt get a confidence boost too.

If you’re considering veneers or cosmetic bonding, let us know during your whitening consultation as we’ll be able to colour-match these to create a uniform shade of white across your entire mouth.

Brighten Your Smile With Define

If you’re looking for ways to bring back the sparkle to your smile, let the team at Define help you achieve this. For comprehensive teeth whitening in Buckinghamshire, schedule a consultation at our Beaconsfield clinic today.