Teeth Whitening Malahide
Here at Ivory Dental Care in Malahide, we believe brighter teeth can have a big impact on your smile. Teeth whitening is the process of brightening stained, discoloured or dull looking teeth. There are many techniques available for this, but our dentists all recommend the use of a customised home whitening kit. This technique has been proven to provide the most predictable and durable results.
Teeth Whitening FAQ
Do I need to whiten my teeth?
Teeth can be stained or discoloured for a variety of reasons. Teeth naturally darken and become more yellow with age, as the darker inner layer of your tooth gets thicker. Teeth whitening procedures can slow down or reverse this process. Certain foods, drinks or smoking can also darken your teeth. We always advise our patients to have their teeth cleaned first to remove any of these surface stains. If your teeth are then still a shade you are not happy with, tooth whitening may suit you.
What system do we use?
There are a variety of ways to try and improve the colour of your teeth, but our recommendation is a custom designed home whitening kit. These comfortable whitening trays, which are designed off a mould that is taken of your teeth, are worn at home at a time that is convenient to you, giving you full control as to how bright your teeth get.
The product we use is 6% hydrogen peroxide, which is the maximum strength of whitening products legally available.
Is Teeth Whitening suitable for everyone?
In general, teeth whitening is a very safe and effective technique. Our dentists would first assess the health of your gums and your teeth to ensure there are no problems that would need to be corrected first. Teeth whitening is not recommended for those younger than 18 years of age, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Does it damage my teeth?
If used correctly, following our instructions, our teeth whitening products do not damage your teeth. The most common side effect is sensitive teeth. Sensitivity usually lasts for one or two days before subsiding.
If teeth whitening products are used incorrectly, on teeth which are not healthy, they can cause a lot of pain and irritation of your gums. This is why we carry out a full examination of your teeth first to ensure you are suitable. Since 2012, a new law in Ireland makes it illegal for anyone other than dental professionals to provide tooth whitening with any peroxide products. It also makes it illegal to use any peroxide products higher than 6%, which means ‘laser’ whitening can now not be carried out. This law was passed to ensure the safe use of teeth whitening products.
Will my fillings also get brighter?
No. Any dental materials like fillings, veneers or crowns will not change colour with teeth whitening products. If you have any of these at the front of your mouth, and you want to whiten your teeth, we would usually recommend the teeth whitening procedure first, then once you are happy with the overall colour of your teeth, you can upgrade the older fillings to match your new tooth colour.
Is the result permanent?
No. After any teeth whitening procedure, your teeth will very slowly return to their natural colour. The benefit of your home teeth whitening kit is that this system has been proven to provide the longest lasting results, which can take several months to years to reverse. By having this custom made whitening system at home, you have the ability to ‘top-up’ your whitening whenever you like.
Further Information
Have you any further questions on teeth whitening? Please feel free to contact us and any of our experienced staff members would be more than happy to answer any queries you may have.
You may also like to read a recently published information sheet from the Irish Dental Association, which has a lot of useful information on teeth whitening;
Irish Dental Association Teeth Whitening Advice – Download