When it comes to whitening your teeth, the question is how white is white enough? Not everyone wants to achieve the unnatural white shades often associated with celebrities, especially since some household names have chosen more invasive options, such as veneers or implants, in order to achieve a luminous smile.
Most of us accept that those in the public eye will spend more time, money and effort on their appearance since they depend on it for their income. So while some celebrities are happy for it to be obvious that they have “enhanced†their natural attributes, we prefer the more natural look.
Orthodontic patients in the UK usually want a more natural smile, which is aligned but not necessarily perfectly symmetrical, and if they want whitening at the end of treatment, they steer away from the artificial glare that is so prevalent in celebrity circuits. So how do you whiten your teeth without announcing to the world that you have?
The first and best advice is to see a dentist or a dental hygienist or therapist who has had the appropriate training as well as the ability to provide you with the best materials and advice.
Here are a few more teeth whitening guidelines to consider when visiting your dental practice:-
- Your dentist has shade guides that can guide you on which colour will work best for you.
- Make sure communication is open and the dentist understands your expectations.
- An important tip to remember is not to make your teeth whiter than the whites of your eyes.
- Dark or grey stains are harder to whiten and special care must be taken – yellow or brown stains are easier to bring to a brighter shade. White spots are often caused by too much flouride, these can be blended in but will need to be monitored during the teeth whitening process.
- Restorations such as crowns, veneers and fillings do not whiten. If you have these in the ‘smile zone’, they might stick out like a sore thumb after bleaching, so this will need to be taken into consideration and your dentist will be able to advise you on the various options available.
- The best look is the one that looks natural. Take your age and skin tone into consideration.
- And remember, the goal should be to mimic nature, not to out-shine it.
