If you’re thinking about investing in teeth whitening, here are some tips from our Surrey dentists on how to tell if it would be right for you.
While the degree of teeth whiteness that is most attractive is pretty subjective, there are a few ways you can go about deciding if you’d benefit from teeth whitening. At the end of the day, the only opinion on the subject that matters is your own.
To help you decide, here are a few points to consider:
Do you smile openly and confidently at people, or in pictures?
If you think your teeth look dingy or discoloured, you may find that you don't smile as openly as you’d really like to.
If this is the case for you, teeth whitening might help you feel a little more confident!
Look yourself in the eye: how well do your teeth measure up?
A good trick to figure out how white your teeth should be is to compare them to the whites of your eyes. If your teeth are close in shade of white to the whites of your eyes, then you probably don’t want to make them any whiter, as it could start to look artificial.
However, if you find that your teeth are quite a bit darker, whitening may be a good choice for you.
Have you undergone dental restorations or orthodontic treatment?
If you have dental restorations, or if you plan to get some, teeth whitening may play into the process. Ideally, the shade of your natural teeth should match that of your restorations as closely as possible to achieve an even smile, and teeth whitening can help with this.
If you have had braces in the past, there may be some spots, where the brackets were attached to your teeth, that are somewhat lighter than the rest of the teeth. This can make your teeth appear uneven or patchy. Teeth whitening can help reduce this effect significantly.
What does your dentist think?
Ask your dentist for his or her opinion about whether teeth whitening would be a good idea for you. Your dentist can help you decide with a colour chart, and provide you with all the details you need to make an informed decision.