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One of the facts of life we must face is that as we get older our hair loses its natural colour and turns grey. It is also true that our teeth will lose their natural white colour with time. As with grey hair, this affects some people more than others and occurs at different stages in our lives.
The good news is that it is now possible to prevent and even reverse this gradual discolouration of teeth, In fact it is possible to whiten the shade of your teeth by up to ten shades. Even better news is that tooth whitening is a readily available and easily affordable cosmetic dentistry procedure that is offered by almost all dentists.
Our teeth become stained because a layer of pellicle builds up on the enamel. Over time this slowly begins to stain the teeth. It is possible to remove this pellicle film by brushing and flossing, but if the enamel itself becomes stained, no amount of cleaning will have an effect.
Certain lifestyle choices also make staining of teeth more likely. As we have seen, some people are more genetically prone to yellowing of the teeth than others, but using any kind of tobacco product or drinking excessive amounts of red wine or coffee can accelerate the staining process.
One of the most effective whitening products on the market is Enlighten. Enlighten gels are used in special trays that fit around the teeth covering all the enamel. The gels contain hydrogen peroxide which bleaches the stains in the enamel returning the to a natural white colour. Trays can be prepared by your dentist and worn for periods throughout the day, or even worn over night for more effective whitening.
The only real side effect of whitening, providing the gels and trays are prepared correctly, is sensitive teeth. This only affects some patients and will only last for two to three days after the procedure. Ask a Central London dentist about Enlighten teeth whitening products and you too could restore the shine to your smile.