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Brighten your smile with an in-office appointment at the dentist. Dentistry has many cosmetic treatments available to transform the look of your smile. Discolouration is one of the main culprits of low confidence in your smile. However, the dentist can begin transforming your smile with in-office teeth whitening treatment.

Now that you know the causes of tooth discolouration, teeth whitening treatment promises to lighten the tooth shade and remove the properties that are naturally degrading the whiteness on your teeth.

Below breaks down the teeth whitening procedure along with other available teeth whitening options to provide an insight in they can whiten your teeth.

In-Office Dental Chair Whitening

In-office teeth whitening treatment is typically completed within one hour. The procedure involves applying a tooth whitening gel that contains hydrogen peroxide ingredient, a property that helps to lift intrinsic and extrinsic stains to make way for whiter teeth. The dentist slowly applies the gel with a light-activated machine and works away at whitening the teeth. The procedure typically upgrades your tooth colour by three to four shades and is the safest and most effective teeth whitening option.

Teeth Whitening Strips And Gels

You can whiten your teeth at home through over-the-counter whitening strips and gels, which contain a peroxide ingredient used to lighten the shade of your teeth. The problem with strips and gels is the properties that are used are unproven to be safe for your teeth. Strips and gels are considered a natural short-term solution with results lasting up to 6 to 12 months. For short-term results, it may be a worthwhile option. However, it shouldn’t be used as a regular choice due to the unknown dangers to your oral health.

The strips are thin, flexible strips coated with tooth whitening peroxide that you simply apply to the outer surface of your teeth and the peroxide ingredient is applied to the teeth to lighten its shade.

How Long Will My Teeth Stay White?

The effects of teeth whitening depend on the choice you use. With in-office teeth whitening, the effects are expected to last two to three years. However, this can vary from how you look after your teeth at home through your oral health habits.

Oral Hygiene For Whiter Teeth

If you’ve completed teeth whitening treatment, your next step is to preserve the lighter shade on your teeth for as long as possible. Follow these steps to keep your teeth white and healthy:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste
• Floss at least once a day to remove food debris and plaque remains
• Rinse your mouth regularly to keep teeth clean from food debris particularly after a heavy meal
• Drink more water and consume calcium-rich foods to keep your teeth and bone strong
• Reduce smoking and tobacco
• Limit foods that contain sugar and acidic properties as this can open opportunity for bacteria to appear

Your own oral health habits are crucial to your overall oral health. Ensure that you book regular dental check-ups at the dentist as they are best placed to determine the state of your oral health.

Are you seeking teeth whitening treatment? Contact our Sunbury dentists for teeth whitening treatment today!

It is very common for teeth to become discoloured, for children and adults. You should ensure your child visits the dentist early if they show signs of discolouration. The term discolouration can be thought of stains occurring on teeth and a darkening of the tooth shade. When you smile, discolouration can be become embarrassing and make you feel self-conscious about your smile. This can lower self-confidence and keep your smile hidden. Teeth are normally perfectly white and although it is natural that the colour of teeth become dull as we age, you don’t want this to happen early due to external factors.

Below are the types of discolouration, or staining stages and the causes of them.

Extrinsic 

Extrinsic tooth discolouration occurs when the outer layer of the enamel, the protective layer to your teeth, becomes exposed to substances. This then darkens the enamel and subsequently darkens your teeth. The common causes include:

• Consumption of alcohol and tobacco
• Dark liquids such as coffee, sodas and wine
• Dark foods such as fruits and berries, sugar sweets, and red meat
• Sauces flavourings

Intrinsic 

Intrinsic tooth discolouration occurs when the inner structure of the tooth, known as the dentin, becomes discoloured. This leads to the shade of your teeth to darken into usually a yellow colour. The common causes include:

• Trauma experienced to the tooth
• Physical injury impacting the tooth, exposing the structure to chips and cracks, exposing the structure
• Exposure to fluoride during childhood years
• Teeth becoming decayed

Age-Related

A natural way for teeth to darken is through age. The enamel begins to wear away resulting in the yellow appearance. The pace of this happening can factor from extrinsic and intrinsic discolouration.

Colour Staining

The surface stains on the teeth lead to teeth becoming discoloured in the following ways:

• Yellow – Through a poor diet of dark foods and liquids, poor oral hygiene and dry mouth
• Brown – Through regular tobacco consumption, a poor diet of dark foods and liquids, tartar and tooth decay
• Black – Black sports can form on teeth due to dental cavities and sulfide fillings or crowns.

How Do I Prevent It?

Discolouration can be halted by taking vital oral hygiene steps at home. The following tips can help:

• Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste two times a day
• Rinse the mouth after every meal, particularly after consuming foods with high levels of sugar to wash away any food debris
• Book regular dental check-up appointments with the dentist
• Reduce consumption of tobacco or reduce smoking all together
• When drinking beverages, ensure the liquid doesn’t touch teeth. Use a straw when consuming beverages
• Ensure you speak to your dentist if you or your child suffer from any conditions that may impact teeth, such as teeth grinding

As part of a dental check-up, the dentist may prescribe in-office teeth whitening treatment to get you started on your journey for a whiter smile. Click here to learn how teeth whitening can reduce discolouration.

Are you in need of dental treatment? Contact our Sunbury Dentists today and begin your dental journey to a happy and healthy smile.

A child is more than likely required to visit the dentist at many stages during their development. Some children need more kids dentistry treatment than others. However, the sooner children begin regular dental check-ups, the healthier their mouths will be. No matter the state of your child’s teeth upon their first visit, the dentists are specialists to ensure your child’s oral health stays healthy and away from tooth decay. If your child is experiencing decay, read here to learn how to reduce it at home.

It is no secret that smiles are contagious from a young age and beaming smiles from children generate positivity around the room. Let’s keep it that way. Read on to learn why it is important for your child to visit the dentist as soon as the first tooth begins to grow.

The Key Reasons

1. Children Can Learn About Oral Health – Educating children on looking after oral health is one of the key stages of development. As they get older, they’ll need to look after their teeth themselves, and understanding why keeping teeth health is important is a great step. The dentist will communicate with the child, so they begin to understand about oral health.
2. The Dentist Can Catch Oral Concerns – The only place that oral concerns can be found is at the dentist. A dentist can examine and monitor child’s teeth to ensure they are developing healthily and properly. Early intervention is important to ensure adult teeth can grow healthy during development.
3. Learn How To Brush Teeth – Parents should act has role models to their children. Eventually, your child gets older, the dentist will recommend that they begin to brush their teeth themselves. The dentist will provide tips on how to brush to keep their mouths healthy and clean throughout the day. This is important so kids’ teeth do not suffer from plaque build-up and staining on teeth. You can learn here about tooth discolouration.
4. Become Used To Dental Visits – When children are told to visit the dentist for the first time, they’re anxious as they don’t know what to expect. As a parent, be responsible for calming your child’s fears and help them understand why visiting the dentist is so important. Children will then become accustomed to visits and will encourage themselves to visit upon every appointment.
5. Smile For Longer – The end goal for all patients, not just children, is for oral health to be positive to make way for happy and healthy smiles. Early development of positive oral health will ensure your child’s teeth are strong and develop with no underlying oral concerns.

To Summarize…

Everybody will be required to visit the dentist at some point in their lives. When children are told about their first visit, it can become unusual and provide feelings of anxiety as it is something they’re not used to. The parent has a responsibility in making sure children understand the importance of keeping teeth healthy and visiting the dentist. However, make it a positive experience and speak to them in an encouraging tone with a smile.

Is your child’s tooth about to grow? Is your child’s first dental appointment overdue? Vineyard Dental are always welcoming children to an environment that is relaxing and comfortable. Contact us now and we look forward to welcoming your child for their first appointment. Click here to book now or check out our profile on find a dentist near me

Regular dental check-ups involve pre-examinations to assess the state of your oral health. As part of this examination, the dentist also looks for one important sign, oral cancer. Oral cancer can be considered as the first line of defence for dentists when they perform an oral examination to determine whether immediate treatment is required to contain cancer cells. Detection of oral cancer is not something that can be detected at home. Therefore, visiting the dentist for oral cancer screenings is an essential part of your oral health journey.

Oral Cancer Causes

It is thought that the causes of oral cancer can stem from the following:

• Consuming all kinds of alcohol, smoking and tobacco products
• Early diagnosis of oral cancer
• Excessive exposure to the sun
• A weak immune system

Oral Cancer Symptoms

If you show signs of the following symptoms, it is likely that you have oral cancer:

• Difficulty in chewing or swallowing
• A red sore or lump in the mouth and lips
• Stiffness when moving the jaw
• White or red patches on the tongue or tonsils

When these unfamiliar signs occur, it is a shoo-in that an appointment with the dentist is required in an emergency. In these situations, it is important to know what to expect in your appointment. So, let’s take a look.

What You Should Expect

1. Pre-Inspection Of Your Mouth – The dentist will first perform an inspection or examination of the mouth to determine the severity of the symptoms. The dentist will also look at the face, lips and neck. This is to see where there are signs of abnormal growth. A dentist may use a flashlight to see inside of the mouth. This is what is known as a visual exam.
2. A Physical Examination – After the visual exam, the dentist will then perform a physical exam. This consists of the dentist touching and lifting the head, cheeks, chin, jaw and the oral cavity to detect any unusual lumps. The dentist knows what to look for. Therefore, you’re in safe hands once the exam takes place.
3. After The Screening Examination – Once the oral cancer screening examination is complete, the dentist will then take the necessary action depending on the symptoms identified. The dentist will begin to understand your lifestyle and whether you consume alcohol and smoke. The dentist may also request you to return regularly for a short-term period for further cancer screening, particularly if the signs show that caution needs to be taken. The dentist will obtain the results, and this does not necessarily mean it is a cancer diagnosis.

To Summarize…

Ensure that during the oral cancer screening, that you ask the dentist as many questions as possible. Dentists are here to help to ensure that your oral health is in optimum condition. Maintain regular brushing and flossing, eat calcium-rich foods that help to keep oral health strong and ensure regular appointments with the dentist.

Are you experiencing symptoms of oral cancer? At Vineyard Dental, our specialist dentists will ensure that immediate action is taken to relieve you of any cancer symptoms to make way for positive oral health. Contact us here and book an appointment or speak to one of our specialists.

Whilst cosmetic dentistry treatments deliver several benefits to your aesthetic appearance and health of your teeth, it also transforms the quality of life. A contagious smile is linked with signs of pure happiness. However, hardly anyone is born a perfect smile, and cosmetic dentistry treatment makes smiles attractive.

If people want to change their smile, it is more than likely that cosmetic dentistry is the chosen way forward. However, it is important that you’re aware of problems with cosmetic dentistry that have occurred in the past. Whilst the success rate of cosmetic dentistry is high, it does come with its fair share of problems.

The Four Factors

Let’s take a look at some of the factors which may cause cosmetic dentistry to become a problem for your oral health:

1. Patient Perceptions – Sometimes, patients can get excited with cosmetic dentistry that they believe is the route to resolving all dental problems. This depends on one key factor, the state of your oral health. With a poor state of oral health, it may take many appointments to get teeth feeling shiny and radiant.
2. No Dental Insurance – Most cosmetic dentistry procedures are not covered with dental insurance. With poor oral health combined with a lack of insurance leads to very expensive treatment. Therefore, the success of treatment may not outweigh the costs as much as patients would like. This is a consequence of poor oral health.
3. A Lack Oral Care At Home – Not all patients are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to ensure that their oral health and pearly whites stay healthy and shine for longer. Although the results may be strong after treatment, some patients are not prepared to alter their lifestyle to keep their teeth clean. This means cosmetic dentistry treatments will be a waste of time and money.
4. Over Marketing – When promoting dental treatments, dental practices must be careful that they don’t promise to deliver what they can’t. Patients are more concerned with results and if dentists cannot deliver on the promise, this can lead to patients being dissatisfied with the outcome of their results.

Ever wondered what the difference is between cosmetic and general dentistry? Find out here!

Final Points…

These factors can lead to false perceptions of the effectiveness of cosmetic treatments even though the success rate is high. Cosmetic dentistry can be an issue not for just the patient but the practice as well. This is particularly if what is being advertised is not delivered. Some patients are looking for answers at the dental practice but may be unwilling to alter their lifestyle to keep teeth white. Therefore, it is important that expectations are managed before the patient undergoes cosmetic dentistry treatment.

If you’re looking at cosmetic dentistry treatment to change the look of your smile, contact Vineyard Dental now and learn about how cosmetic dentistry can work to deliver for you. Contact us here to book your appointment now.