According to global market research company Mintel, 2014 was the first year (hopefully of many) in which the cigarette market received a decrease in sales. This strongly indicates that people are becoming more health conscious and possibly more aware of how smoking can negatively affect their appearance. Although kicking the habit has massive health and aesthetic benefits, what damage has it already done to the teeth of previous smokers?

Reversing the effects

Many former smokers notice that their teeth have been stained a darker or yellow shade, due to the nicotine and tar contained in tobacco. However, these effects need not be permanent; dental practice Garden View Dental Care offer teeth whitening in Buckinghamshire to reverse this discoloration. There are two types of safe treatments the clinic offers to help tackle the stains: home whitening which involves wearing a custom tray mouth guard that’s lined with whitening gel at night as you sleep, and a procedure undertaken at the clinic using the whitening gel and a lamp to activate the bleaching process. The second method gives results over a shorter period of time, and is called power teeth whitening. Buckinghamshire ex-smokers can rest assured with the realisation that the cigarettes they smoked in the past, don’t have to dictate how their teeth will look in the future!

Garden View Dental Care is host to warm and friendly staff and a highly experienced dentist and dental hygienist that will perform the power whitening procedure, or guide you through the process of home teeth whitening. Buckinghamshire residents can also take advantage of the other cosmetic procedures offered at the practice that can further improve the appearance of their teeth. The other procedures include: porcelain veneers, white fillings, and diastema closure.

What next?

Please visit the cosmetic dentistry page on the Garden View dental care website https://www.garden-view.co.uk/dental-treatments-buckinghamshire.html to find out more about smile enhancing procedures including teeth whitening. Buckinghamshire residents can call the practice on 01494 674875 or email them on info@garden-view.co.uk for further information on any procedures or to book an appointment. What are you waiting for? Take the next steps towards healthier looking teeth and a more confident you!

At our practice in Buckinghamshire, teeth whitening is a very popular treatment amongst our patients, but did you know where the idea of teeth whitening first came from? We take it for granted now that we can lighten the shade of our teeth with the latest technology, but it wasn’t always the case!

Did you know that it was the ancient Egyptians who are attributed with the first recorded practice of teeth whitening? Buckinghamshire is a far cry from ancient Egypt, but the first teeth whitening pioneers were seeking to maintain or embrace the social signifiers of beauty and wealth that came with having bright white teeth in ancient Egyptian society. These early pioneers used a mixture of wine vinegar mixed with ground pumice stone to create a paste that could be applied to the teeth.

Wee and acid, are you sure that’s a good idea?

There have been many strange teeth whitening procedures employed throughout history. Some people would file down the teeth they wanted to whiten and then applied an acid that eroded the tooth enamel but left the teeth looking whiter. The only problem was this was that it tended to lead to advanced tooth decay as a result!

Even stranger were the Roman practices of using… yes, you’ve guessed it… urine, to whiten their teeth. Because of the high ammonia content of urine, the Ancient Romans used it on their teeth, the ammonia acting as a bleach to create a whiter smile. The lengths we go to for beauty!

Luckily you don’t have to go to these lengths today in Buckinghamshire. Teeth whitening is a much safer (and more hygienic) process today. Luckily you won’t have to use acid (or worse) to brighten your smile. We offer the latest in whitening technology.

At Garden View we use a power whitening treatment that can be carried out at the surgery using a special gel and an activation lamp which catalyses the gel to powerfully whiten your teeth. You can also opt for at-home trays to take with you. Whether you choose power whitening or choose to opt for a home whitening kit, you can be assured of a smile that will dazzle and amaze, with a minimum of fuss required to achieve your perfect white smile.

Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental treatment in the world, and it’s not hard to see why – the desire for a bright and dazzling smile is, after all, somewhat universal. Buckinghamshire dental practice Garden View offers two options for professional teeth whitening treatment, guaranteed to produce results that you will want to show off to everyone you meet.

Safety first

If you are exploring your teeth whitening options, it’s important to remember that by law it can only be prescribed by a dentist. There are several reasons for this, all of them designed to protect your safety.

At our Buckinghamshire dental practice we are aware that there are many products available on the open market that claim to whiten your teeth. Options bought from a chemist or supermarket will probably be safe enough, but are unlikely to produce the results you want, meaning you will have wasted both your time and your money, and will still have stained teeth.

Products purchased from the internet may be of dubious origin, meaning that you can’t be sure where they came from or what’s in them. Some contain dangerously high levels of hydrogen peroxide (the dental bleaching agent used in teeth whitening) and can cause damage to your teeth and gums.

Similarly, beauticians and any other unlicensed providers of teeth whitening treatment must be avoided, because they can hurt you and leave you needing extensive restorative dental treatment. The General Dental Council takes a dim view of illegal teeth whitening, but it often takes someone to suffer harm to their teeth and gums before it is brought to their attention.

At Garden View Dental Care in Buckinghamshire, we offer two professional teeth whitening options. These both begin with a consultation with a cosmetic dentist.

Our Buckinghamshire clinic offers home teeth whitening, which you perform yourself under the supervision of your dentist, and which takes a fortnight; and power whitening, which your dentist carries our here in the dental practice in just one hour, while you sit back and relax.

Whichever option you choose, you can rest assured your Buckinghamshire clinician will provide safe and effective treatment.

Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure in the world. Garden View Dental Care in Buckinghamshire offers two options for whitening treatment, and a consultation with a cosmetic dentist will help to determine the best option to suit your needs.

Although it is a very popular procedure, many people still have questions about teeth whitening treatment. We have collected some common questions and answers below. If you have any other queries, please get in touch with our Buckinghamshire clinic.

How does teeth whitening work?

Teeth whitening involves the use of a gentle dental bleaching gel to remove stains such as those caused by tea, coffee, red wine, or smoking from your teeth.

Do I need to see a dentist for teeth whitening?

Absolutely. This is the most important thing to remember. Legally speaking, only a qualified dentist can carry out whitening treatment, which is classed as dentistry by the GDC (dentists’ governing body). Beauty parlours offering the treatment do so illegally, and using unlicensed providers or products of unknown origin purchased through the internet can cause serious damage to your teeth and gums.

How long does treatment take?

That depends on which method you choose. At Garden View in Buckinghamshire we offer two teeth whitening options:

1) Home whitening

This involves the use of custom-made mouth trays and bleaching gel. You carry out the treatment at home under your dentist’s supervision. All you do is place a small amount of gel in the trays and wear them overnight for two weeks.

2) Power whitening

This option is carried out by your dentist at our Buckinghamshire clinic. You sit back and relax whilst a lamp is used to activate the bleaching agent in the gel. Power whitening takes just one hour.

Can anyone have whitening treatment?

Most people aged 18+ are suitable for whitening. If you have suffered enamel erosion you may experience increased sensitivity, so your dentist will discuss whether whitening is suitable for you. You need to be in good oral health for treatment, and if you are pregnant it is best to avoid whitening.

Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental treatment in the world. Garden View Dental Care in Buckinghamshire offers two options for whitening treatment, which can be used as a standalone procedure or as a complement to other treatments, such as teeth straightening with Six Month Smiles.

If you remember only one thing about teeth whitening, let it be this: it must only be carried out on the prescription of a fully qualified dentist. Whilst a hygienist or hygiene therapist who has undergone appropriate training may physically provide the treatment, it must be on a dentist’s prescription.

This isn’t just a recommendation: it’s the law. The General Dental Council has carried out a number of successful prosecutions for illegal dentistry, where beauty therapists are carrying out unlicensed teeth whitening procedures, but all too often that requires someone to suffer serious damage to their teeth, gums, or mouth before it comes to the GDC’s attention. Don’t let that be you; instead, come to our Buckinghamshire clinic for a whitening consultation with a cosmetic dentist.

Buckinghamshire teeth whitening options

We offer two teeth whitening options at our Buckinghamshire clinic, both of which begin with a consultation with a dentist and a thorough check-up, to ensure that your oral health is in good condition.

As with any form of cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening should only be carried out in a healthy mouth. Whilst it is one of the quickest procedures in the cosmetic dental world, you should bear in mind that any gum disease or tooth decay will need to be treated first, especially if you are preparing for a special occasion.

Home whitening

Home whitening is carried out yourself, under your dentist’s supervision. It involves the use of custom-made mouth trays and whitening gel, which you use for a fortnight, wearing them overnight.

Power whitening

Power whitening takes place here in our Buckinghamshire clinic. All you need to do is to sit back and relax for an hour whilst your dentist applies whitening gel to your teeth, and uses a special light to activate it. Brighter, whiter teeth in just one hour really is possible.

Did you know that teeth whitening is the world’s most popular cosmetic dental procedure? At Garden View Dental Care in Buckinghamshire we offer two methods of teeth whitening treatment, either as a standalone procedure to quickly and effectively brighten up your smile, or as a complement to other aesthetic dental treatments such as discreet tooth straightening with Six Month Smiles.

The most important thing to remember, should you be looking into your options for teeth whitening in Buckinghamshire, is that it should only be carried out by a dentist. This isn’t a recommendation: it’s a fact of law. Because teeth whitening is classed as dentistry by dentists’ governing body the General Dental Council, that means it’s against the law for anyone other than a dental professional to carry it out.

Your dentist can ask another suitably trained professional, such as a hygienist, to provide the treatment under their supervision, but anyone else offering the treatment – for example, a beautician – is not qualified to carry out the procedure and could actually cause serious damage to your teeth and gums, requiring extensive restorative treatment to put right.

Buckinghamshire teeth whitening

There are two teeth whitening treatments available from Dr Makhani at Garden View in Buckinghamshire. You will need to come in for a consultation, to check that there are no underlying conditions such as gum disease that need to be treated before whitening treatment begins, as well as to discuss which the best option will be for your needs.

1) Home whitening

This option involves the use of custom-made teeth whitening trays and gentle bleaching gel. You carry out the procedure yourself at home under your dentist’s supervision, wearing the whitening trays overnight or for short spells during the day over a fortnight.

2) Power whitening

Power whitening takes place in our Buckinghamshire clinic. After protecting your teeth and gums, your dentist applies the teeth whitening gel and uses a special lamp to activate it. All you need to do is to sit back and relax for approximately an hour whilst the whitening gel does its work.