Words by Natasha Smith
Every three to six months, I find myself pouring over my teeth in the mirror wondering why their once polar-white hue has become a somewhat tarnished yellow. I have a penchant for Costa coconut flat whites, English breakfast tea and feel that the odd red wine has definitely contributed to their decline in colour. My twice yearly hygiene appointment with Smilepod instantly gives my teeth a new lease of life.
When it comes to whitening your teeth, If you choose an accessible and reputable dentistry service such as Smilepod, they can then advise the best whitening procedure for you, otherwise you can actually do more harm to your teeth than good .
Teeth can discolour for various reasons and your dentist’s advice will be based on your personal oral condition. After an examination with your dentist they can establish the cause and nature of your tooth discolouration, and provide you with more information on the various types of whitening procedures available, then advise on the duration and frequency of treatments.
Also avoid teeth staining culprits such as coffee, tea, smoking, red wine, berries, sauces, curry and brightly coloured candy. It’s important to replace your toothbrush every three months as your bristles start to wear out they become less effective at removing plaque.
Here’s three effective whitening options we’ve trialled and found excellent results:
Colgate Expert Complete Toothpaste, £12, nationwide
Colgate Expert Complete is the UK’s only toothpaste to contain professional whitening ingredients aka hydrogen peroxide, for deep stain removal, and a unique Advanced Brighteners System that is clinically proven to make your teeth appear instantly whiter from the very first brush.
It is professionally designed to reverse years of yellowing and provides an instant whitening effect (temporary).
It’s unique dual-action formula helps to remove deep-set stains and the Brighteners System™ is clinically proven to make your teeth appear instantly whiter by reflecting blue light with the optic brighteners.
High Gloss Diamond Polish at Smilepod, £89, Smilepod.co.uk
For a short term solution (although long term investment service), Smilepod’s High Gloss Diamond Polish hygienist treatment uses an ultra-sonic scaler to remove tartar.
They flush out the bacteria and deposits from below the gum with water. Then gently hand scale removing any small pieces of build-up remaining after the ultrasonic treatment.
This is followed by an air flow treatment for efficient and faster stain removal. Finally, your teeth are polished using a diamond polishing paste, giving your teeth a silky smooth finish and brighter appearance.
Dr Harvey Grahame from Smilepod.co.uk says: “We recommend you visit the hygienist at least twice a year for routine care, but many patients with active disease will require more, it all depends on the individual case. Regular dental cleanings prevent calculus building up and the gum disease that is associated with the build up.”
Phillips Zoom Whitening from £299-499, locations nationwide
A long term commitment is the Philips Zoom service clinically proven to lift teeth six shades brighter.
Professional bleaching is the most common method of tooth whitening, but will cost between £299-499 dependant of whether in salon or at home trays. The in-House service can take just over an hour so is suitable to do in your lunch break.
After an initial consultation, when your trays are ready, you’ll revisit for your whitening treatment. Your dentist will realistically discuss what shade you want to achieve then protect your gums before the treatment.
The whitening solution is applied and the Philips Zoom lamp activates the solution. Four 15 minutes sessions ensue all in one visit and by then end you’ll be much brighter and stain-free.
Once completed , annual ‘top up’s’ can help maintain a natural long lasting whiteness, or combine with regular HGDP services for maximum impact.
