Boost your smile with teeth whitening in Singapore

There are many ways that a great smile can do. Flashing yourself one in the mirror at the start of your day can immediately improve your mood. Displaying your dazzling set of teeth through a smile when meeting people can leave a good first impression. Your teeth plays a critical role in helping you achieve a perfect smile. If they are discoloured, then that alone is not something to smile about. It’s time to boost your smile with professional teeth whitening in Singapore.

Before we get to the basics of teeth whitening, it is important that we learn about what causes the teeth to turn yellow.

1. Aging — Getting older is something that we all go through and cannot avoid. As part of the body’s wear and tear, the teeth’s enamel, which serves as its protective coating, dissolves leading to the yellowing of the teeth as we age.

2. Genetics —Inheriting a more yellow enamel can also be the reason of why your teeth’s yellowish tinge is much darker than others.

3. Lifestyle — There are foods, beverages, and other habits that can cause yellow teeth. Caffeine, tobacco, and illegal drugs can turn your teeth yellow and cause other unhealthy conditions in the mouth and the body.

4. Oral hygiene — Failing to floss and brush your teeth daily enables plaque to buildup in the teeth, causing it to look yellowish. Aside from discoloration, tartar or plaque buildup can also result in damage and tooth loss.

5. Medications — Antibiotics like doxycycline and tetracycline can affect the colour of the teeth and cause it to darken in shade. Other medications that may have this effect include antihistamines, antipsychotic drugs, and medicines for high blood pressure. If an individual is being treated for cancer, chemotherapy or radiation can make the teeth appear brown in colour.  

Type of stains that affect the teeth

Knowing the type of stain that affects your teeth is important as there are different methods available to treat each type. There are two types of teeth stains:

• Extrinsic stains
• Intrinsic stains

Extrinsic stains — This type of stain affects the surface of the tooth. The cause of the discoloration of your tooth’s enamel is due to environmental and external factors, such as:

• Artificial food colouring
• Coffee
• Smoking
• Use of antibiotics

Intrinsic stains — This type of stain affects the inside of the tooth. Intrinsic staining can happen even before the teeth surfaces in little children. Intrinsic stains can be due to the following factors:

• Exposure to high amounts of fluoride
• Genes
• Thinning enamel caused by ageing
• Use of antibiotics

Teeth whitening options

There are many ways that can be done to whiten the teeth. Nowadays, toothpastes are packed with ingredients that help whiten the teeth. There are also over-the-counter products that promise to remove teeth stains. However, there may be ingredients in these products that can be more harmful to the teeth when not used properly.

The best route to take to achieve a set of pearly whites is to get professional teeth whitening in Singapore. Dentists use two powerful substances to give the teeth an immaculate appearance:

• Carbide peroxide
• Hydrogen peroxide

You can also choose from two options on how to get your teeth whitening procedure done:

• Chairside Teeth Whitening
• Take-home Teeth Whitening Kits

How is chairside teeth whitening done?

Chairside teeth whitening is done inside the dentist’s clinic. For this procedure, the dentist uses a peroxide gel to whiten the teeth and is applied at 15% to 43% in concentration. 

Here are the steps during this procedure:

• Your teeth and mouth will be prepped and cleaned prior to the procedure.
• After thorough cleaning, a lip retractor is inserted into the mouth. This dental device keeps the lips to the side so the dentist can have full access to the teeth.
• The dentist then applies a protective barrier over the gums to keep the bleaching chemicals from reaching it while the whitening procedure is ongoing. 
• When needed, a compound may also be applied to the teeth to avoid feeling any pain or discomfort during the procedure.
• Next,  the hydrogen peroxide gel is applied to the front teeth. This substance can be absorbed until the teeth’s porous outer layer. The gel then oxidises and breaks down the stain.
• The teeth is then exposed to UV light to speed up the whitening process.
• These steps may be repeated for a couple of times in one session.    

A chairside teeth whitening procedure is usually done in under an hour. There may be some very minor side effects that can occur after the session like teeth sensitivity, but these discomforts should be temporary. 

It may take several dentist appointments before you achieve a set of perfectly white teeth. It will also take some extra effort to maintain the results of your teeth whitening. Your doctor may recommend take-home teeth whitening kits to keep your teeth’s impeccable white colour. 

How do take-home teeth whitening kits work?

Take-home teeth whitening kits are customised sets of bleaching trays and teeth whitening gels that are applied to the teeth to bleach them. The amount of peroxide in the gels are lower than what is used for chairside teeth whitening procedures. The kits come with instructions on how to use them. Generally, the moulds with the whitening gel should be worn for about 60 minutes everyday and consistently repeated for 14 days.   

What are the benefits of getting teeth whitening?

Aside from getting sparkling teeth and a head-turning smile, teeth whitening can have these beneficial effects:

• Confidence boost — A discoloured set of teeth can cause embarrassment. Undergoing a teeth whitening procedure can easily address that and give your teeth the glow up it deserves, therefore giving your confidence an extra boost.

• Improved oral health —Removing stains also protects your teeth from plaque and cavities.

• Lasting results — When combined with an excellent oral hygiene, your white teeth can last longer.

• Positive impressions — An attractive smile can definitely leave a positive impression to people you meet.

How much does it cost to get teeth whitening in Singapore?

A chairside teeth whitening procedure at a dental clinic can start at $900 (SGD), while take home teeth whitening kits can cost at $400 (SGD). The total cost of your treatment will depend on how many sessions you have to undergo or whitening kits you have to use. 

—

Dennis Tan Dental Surgery – Dr Dennis Tan

22 Malacca St, # 03-01, 

RB Capital Building, S(048980)

Home

+65 6438 5622

+65 8874 7681 (Whatsapp)