As we age our teeth can become discoloured and

Whitening Toothpastes

These toothpastes are slightly abrasive and can help to improve the appearance of surface staining. However they will not have much affect on the natural shade of your teeth. If you have discoloured teeth you will need to consider a more intensive treatment.

Home Teeth Bleaching Kits

Home teeth whitening kits are available from most major chemists and also on the Internet. If you are buying online you do need to check that the supplier is reliable and can offer you a safe and effective treatment. You can do this by checking online for feedback from other customers and also to see if the product has been recommended by any leading dentists or dental organizations such as the British Dental Health Foundation.

Home bleaching kits are very easy to use and offer an affordable option for teeth whitening. Most kits contain a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide. These work by lifting the stains from teeth and all you need to do is fill the provided mouth trays with the bleaching solution and place them over your teeth for around 30 minutes.

Professional Dental Bleaching

Your dentist will be able to offer teeth whitening procedures. Standard bleaching is a similar process to home teeth whitening kits but contains a much stronger bleach solution. Laser bleaching can also be offered and this can be very effective on badly discoloured teeth. The dentist will place a rubber seal around your teeth to protect your gums and then apply a bleaching agent. The effects of this agent are then intensified by exposing your teeth to a special bright light. Bleaching treatment provided by your dentist can take from between one to two hours and you may need to return for a repeat session.

Dentists can also offer a specialist technique called 'internal bleaching'. This procedure can only be carried out on teeth that have undergone full root treatment (nerves and blood vessels removed). The dentists will drill a tiny hole in the back of the tooth and then fill with the bleaching product. The hole will be temporarily blocked and the bleach works slowly to lighten the natural colour of the tooth. This process takes a week and then the hole will be unblocked and the bleach removed. This does not harm the tooth as there are no nerves inside. This can be combined with external bleaching for a bright white effect.