A Confident Smile

(If you are looking for a Chester Dentist we recommend Vicars Cross Dental Practice.)

Not having pearly white teeth does not necessarily mean you will be ashamed of your smile but if your teeth are yellow and black and crooked then this can have a big effect on self esteem. When someone meets you or sees you for the first time they make a lot of conscious and sub-conscious assumptions based on you and your appearance. Some of these will be based on your teeth.

If you think of someone you find attractive or a famous person known to be attractive what do you think their teeth are like. You may not remember paying deliberate attention to their teeth but you would of noticed if half of them were missing and the half were crooked and yellow. People also attribute white well looked after teeth to success and poorly looked after teeth are associated with poverty. This isn’t always the case but it is how a lot of people perceive you.

It is especially important for any job where image is important such as public speaker, actor, model but can also be important for other jobs like receptionist, promotional /marketing staff or PR. In fact if you want to make the right impression when going for interviews, meetings or sales pitches then image and therefore white teeth are important here to.

On the opposite end of the scale if you don’t have the confidence to smile a lot because of your teeth then this also has an effect on how people perceive you. Smiling is seen as something happy and confident people do a lot of. Facial expressions are also a very important part of communication.

It is important to take regular trips to your dentist. To ensure healthy teeth. On top of this there are cosmetic treatments worth investing in if you want to go above and beyond just healthy teeth.

There are 2 main types of teeth whitening you can have performed at your dentist. Teeth whitening can be used to brighten the teeth but cannot completely change the colour. If the teeth are very yellow then you may want to consider implants or veneering instead.

Barrier Whitening

First a protective barrier is placed over the gums to protect them from the whitening gel. Then a special bright light that produces heat is shined across the gel to speed up its activation. Once the gel is set the teeth whitening gel is applied to the teeth. Usually to the front 6 teeth. The special bight white is used again on the whitening gel. Finally the gel is washed away and the barrier is removed. The effects of this type of whitening can last from 1 to 3 or more years depending on the patient.

Tray Whitening

A tray that looks like a bit like a mouth guard is used to make a mould of the teeth. From the mould special pockets are made that match the shape of your teeth. A solution is poured in to the pocket and then you have to wear the pocket with the solution inside. This has to be continued at home for 2 – 4 weeks. Eventually the solution will have caused the teeth to whiten and become thicker. This treatment also lasts for 1 to 3 or more years depending on the patient.

There are cheaper alternatives that you will probably see advertised on the internet but I would recommend trying to find independent reviews from people who have tried these products first. There is a lot of fake medicines and pharmaceuticals on the internet.