25 Jul How White Can My Teeth Get? The Tooth, The Whole Tooth and Nothing But The Tooth!
As a leading multi-disciplinary dentist in Box Hill, one of the most common questions we get asked is “How white can my teeth get?” The truth is that it all depends on varying factors, some of which you can control, and some of which you can’t. Let’s take a closer look at the science behind how white can my teeth be.
Teeth whitening genetics
Did you know that the colour or whiteness of our teeth is genetically determined? But just like many things in nature, not everything is created equal. When it comes to considering how white should teeth be, our natural tooth colour is primarily determined by the darkness/lightness of our dentin. This is the layer of hard tissue immediately underneath the tooth enamel. In younger people, enamel is less translucent, so teeth naturally appear whiter and lighter anyway. However, as we age our tooth enamel thins and depending upon how light/dark our dentin is, this will impact your level of natural teeth whiteness. So, while the normal colour for teeth is an A3 tooth shade, some people will naturally have whiter teeth and some darker.
So just how white can my teeth get?
Naturally, this depends upon your initial base level of whiteness. While the whitest naturally occurring shade (according to colour charts) is a B1 tooth shade, using the best teeth whitening method, shades reached can be considerably lighter than this. Now celebs are often photographed with dazzling white smiles otherwise known as a Hollywood smile, So, while a decade ago a B1 tooth shade would have been considered to be very bright, now driven by popular culture, some people want to go artificially whiter. Whether this is ideal or even achievable for you is something you should really discuss with your local teeth whitening dentist.
So what about teeth whitening factors you can control?
One of the questions we get asked on a frequent basis is “why won’t my teeth stay white?”
Naturally, the foods we consume and the beverages we drink, can and do play a significant part in the degree of whiteness of our teeth. So too does smoking. In order to maintain whiter teeth for longer, be aware that foods with dark pigments such as berries or tomatoes can stain teeth as do coffee, tea, cola and red wine. As a top tip, look to brush teeth immediately after consuming these items. Also, sip water while eating or drinking and it should help to rinse any offending deposits from your teeth.
So now you know how to contain tooth staining, what’s the best teeth whitening method if you are looking for a whiter, brighter smile?
There are many over-the-counter or DIY tooth teeth whitening products and types of whitening toothpaste available, but in reality, they’re unlikely to be as effective as a visit to a teeth whitening dentist .
Why?
Because professional teeth whitening methods – those administered by clinical professionals – use stronger levels of bleaching agent (hydrogen/carbamide peroxide) to deliver safe and effective results. So if you’re wondering how white can my teeth be using say, chairside teeth whitening methods, then typically, teeth may whiten as little as two or three shades or as many as eight.
However, if a satisfactory level of teeth whiteness hasn’t been achieved, then we can, as long as it’s safe to do so, recommend a course of follow-up treatment. This may be through further chairside teeth bleaching, or a course of professional teeth whitening take home trays.
Hopefully, this has given you answers to the question how white can my teeth be, but if you’d like to know more, or you are looking for a whiter, confidence-boosting smile, then contact Smile Gallery Dental Clinic for a consultation. Call us (03) 8595 2632.