Professional teeth whitening at your Geelong dentist

At dental clinics across Geelong, teeth whitening has become one of the most popular treatments requested by patients aged between 40 to 60 in the past 10 years. Certain foods and drinks can cause staining on teeth, as can some medications and many people want to remove that discolouration and brighten their smile.

And with the proliferation of DIY home-teeth-whitening kits available at chemists and supermarkets, it seems that the desire for whiter teeth will only increase. But beware. There can be serious damage caused by improper use or abuse of over-the-counter teeth whitening products.

Although home bleaching kits are less expensive, professional teeth whitening is a much safer and reliable way to brighten your smile. A dentist will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums to determine whether teeth whitening should even be considered. There are some stains and teeth that can’t be lightened. Grey stains caused by smoking or fluorosis (ingestion of excess fluoride) do not respond well to any form of tooth whitening treatment. Additionally, bonding and other tooth-coloured fillings are unable to be whitened.

Over-the-counter kits generally require much longer periods of use to reach the desired result, increasing the risk of irritation and damage to the gums, teeth and even existing dental work. The acid in many kits can damage the protective enamel on teeth and ironically this means your teeth will be more at risk of becoming discoloured in the future because the protection afforded by the enamel has been removed.

At Wyatt Ryan Dental we will be able to advise you on the expected success of any teeth whitening treatment as well as then carrying out the treatment. Care is taken to ensure that any side effects such as tooth sensitivity are minimised. For the safest and most reliable teeth whitening treatment, make an appointment to see one of our dentists here at our Geelong clinic.