Its known as a `Smile Makeover` and it involves whitening your teeth. White, smooth and healthy looking teeth are all the rage; especially now that science has come up with ingenious ways to do it advises a City of London dentist. In the not too distant past cosmetic dentistry was very expensive, and time consuming. Today you can go to the chemist and buy a self whitening kit to do the job at home. The kits are complete with a gum shield that you turn into a bleaching tray, this is done by softening it up in a bowl of hot water, then you bite into it to make a mould of your teeth. Then you mix up a little of the bleaching agent and put a small amount into the tray, now all you have to do is to bite into the tray again and leave it on for about 40 minutes, you can repeat this in accordance with the instructions. Another popular method is to have the Intense Light Whitening Treatment, this is now available in most salons and even at home by a visiting technician. It also involves a gum shield that is placed in the mouth, only this one doesn`t cover the teeth. It actually covers the lips and gums and protects the tongue from the intense blue light. A gel is coated onto your exposed teeth and the light is shone on this to react with the gel, and make your teeth whiter. It is done in 3 fifteen minute sessions and the whole treatment takes just an hour. You will need to avoid food stuffs that contain food dyes and drinks like red wine, but apart from that these two methods are popular and successful, with fans of the new fad.

Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures. Whiter teeth make people seem younger and more attractive, as losing their natural colour is one of the signs aging. Whitening used to be a very expensive treatment that was unavailable to most patients but as the procedure has become more available it has also become more affordable.

Whitening works in two ways. Firstly, the teeth are cleaned, removing any material or stains that can be cleaned to make the teeth seem whiter. However, many stains occur when foodstuff or liquid penetrate the enamel of the tooth. This cannot be removed by cleaning but can be bleached white using hydrogen peroxide gels. Although these kinds of bleaching kits are available to buy in shops or on the internet, City of London dentists advise that you always have whitening procedures carried out in surgery. This is because the hydrogen peroxide can be dangerous to soft tissue when used in high concentration. Dentists will be able to use the necessary safety equipment to avoid any contact with soft tissue.

This may often involve the manufacture of a custom made bleaching tray designed to fit exactly over the patient’s teeth, applying the active gel to the required area but keeping the soft tissue safe. These bleaching trays can also be used for lower concentration treatment at home, often worn over night for maximum contact with the teeth. The peroxide filters into the tooth enamel bleaching it white and making the teeth look a healthy and natural white. Tooth whitening is available in many different formats as there are many treatments available and will be more effective for some than others but ultimately it will lighten teeth and make them appear more healthy.