Have you noticed everyone seems to have whiter and brighter teeth? 

Whether it be at home, the dentist or in a beauty salon, the desire for a bright, white smile is growing, particularly amongst those aged under 35, thanks to a relentless onslaught of social media advertising and celebrity-endorsements.  

There’s no shortage in competition between online and over-the-counter whitening products as toothpastes, bleaching kits and adhesive strips all promising lighter, brighter teeth at a fraction of the cost you’d expect to pay going to a dental professional. According to Australian Dental Association statistics, 6% of consumers who whiten their teeth are going to non-dentist services to have their teeth whitened and 50% of consumers are buying whitening do-it-yourself products/kits that are available online or at the chemist. But before you jump into any teeth-whitening treatments it is important to know how safe and effective are they.

The teeth-whitening industry is largely unregulated and beauty therapists in salons do not necessarily have any dental training. As a result, they can’t advise on whether the process is appropriate for your individual concerns (some kinds of discolouration don’t respond to certain treatments), and they’re not qualified to check for dental problems that may worsen as a result of whitening procedures

Common concerns are a lack of proper infection control and careless application or ill-fitting bleaching trays which result in bleach burns to gums and lips (and ouch! They can be painful!). Due to an increase in teeth whitening related injuries, Beauty therapists are restricted on the concentrates of their teeth-whitening preparations (which may result in little or no change to tooth colour).

Some DIY teeth whitening product manufacturers are suggest their products are ‘all-natural’ and safer alternatives to peroxide formulations, despite the fact they often contain chemicals like sodium chlorite (commonly known as a disinfectant) or sodium perborate.

Unlike in a salon, dentists are able to provide stronger hydrogen peroxide bleach as well as options for in house or take home delivery. They may even provide enhanced treatment using a light or heat source, such as laser, LED or halogen lamps for bleach activation. Custom made trays will also help to prevent soft tissue injury from the whitening gels.

So moral of the story? Don’t just go with what’s popular online, in a tv ad, or what you see everyone else buying. Do your research, go to a dental professional who knows the ‘in’s and out’s’ of tooth whitening so you can ensure a safe whitening treatment that will give you the impact you desire.

So what do we use at NB? Why I thought you’d never ask! Here at NB Dental we offer Pola Day whitening which is the one and only supporter of the Miss Universe Competition. Our amazing product representative; Dora Zanin was the 2019 judge for the Miss Universe Competition (pictured below).

Out of all the products out there, we find that Pola Day provides the best results and I guess Miss Priya Serrao agrees (2019 Winner of Miss Universe Australia). We aim to educate our patients as well as please! Get in contact with us today to find out the steps on getting your pearly whites!
Talk soon!