It's the silly season — that time of year where there is lots of socialising to be done and plenty of photos to appear in. As someone who has been considering getting their teeth whitened for a few months now, the silly season is incentivizing you to get it done now. But what if you've never had teeth whitening done before? This cosmetic dental procedure is relatively straight-forward. But, before you go ahead and book it in, ask these three questions of the dentist you are planning to use for the process.
How Much Whiter Will My Teeth Be?
When it comes to having your teeth whitened, you need to have realistic expectations, which is why you need to discuss with the dentist how much change you can expect to see. You will be given a numbered card which shows the current colour of your teeth. Generally, in one session, teeth can become two shades whiter than they were before. Depending on the cause of the stains, more whiteness may be achievable if you have more than one teeth whitening treatment. Because your treatment is an individual process, only your dentist can best guess how much change you will see.
How Long Does The Treatment Last?
While you are on the subject of what has caused your teeth discolouration, you should ask your dentist how long the whitening treatment will last. The cause of the stains determines how quickly your teeth will revert to being discoloured. You can use this information to decide when to rebook in for another treatment. You can also make changes to your diet or lifestyle to eliminate the source of your teeth stains.
Does Whitening Work On Existing Dental Work?
If you are not a regular patient of the dentist doing the teeth whitening, then you need to disclose your dental history before making an appointment for this process. Wearing braces is an obvious sign of prior dental work, but veneers or crows are not immediately obvious. As a general rule, artificial teeth or dental changes cannot be colour changed. This means that your natural teeth can be whitened, but veneers and crowns cannot. Your dentist needs to know where the dental work items are in your mouth so that their colour is not glaringly obvious compared to your newly whitened teeth.
Don't be afraid to ask questions before you have your teeth whitened as your dentist appreciates that it can be nerve-wracking for first-timers. Once your questions are answered, go ahead and get yourself booked in ready for all the photos and socialising which lie ahead.
Share29 November 2018
As you age, it can become harder to take care of your teeth. Motor challenges can make it hard to floss, while memory issues may make it easy to overlook brushing. Whether you are a senior looking for solutions to some of the common dental problems or a senior with specific questions about cavities or oral surgery, you have come to the right place. In this blog, I am going to touch on a range of topics related to seniors and oral health. This is the type of resource I wish my mum would have had access to in her senior years, and I hope you enjoy having access to it during yours. I appreciate you reading my posts.
