Are you wondering if you should whiten your teeth to improve the look of your smile? Here are some tips from our Surrey dentists on how to tell if professional teeth whitening would be right for you.
The degree of whiteness that is most attractive is highly subjective but there are a few ways you can decide if your smile would benefit from teeth whitening. Just keep in mind that the only person whose opinion matters is you own.
Here are a few points to consider while deciding:
Do you smile confidently and openly in pictures or at people?
If you think that your teeth look dingy or discoloured, you may try to hide them by not smiling as openly as you’d really like to.
Does that sound like you? If so then teeth whitening might help you feel a more confident.
Look yourself in the eye: how well do your teeth measure up?
One helpful way to determine how white your teeth should be is to compare the colour of your teeth to the whites of your eyes. If your teeth and eyes are a similar shade of white then you probably don’t want to make them any whiter, since it could start to look artificial.
If, on the other hand, you find that your teeth are significantly darker, teeth whitening might be a good choice for you.
Have you undergone dental restorations or orthodontic treatment?
If you've undergone dental restorations, or plan to, teeth whitening may be a good idea for you. The shade of your natural teeth should match that of your restorations as closely as possible to give you an even smile. Teeth whitening can be helpful in achieving this.
If you've just had braces removed you may find that the spots where the brackets were attached to your teeth are somewhat lighter than the rest of the teeth. This can make your smile appear patchy or uneven. Teeth whitening can help to significantly reduce this effect.
What does your dentist think?
Ask your dentist for their opinion. Your dentist will know whether teeth whitening would be beneficial for you. They can help you decide with a colour chart, and provide you with all the details you need to make an informed decision about teeth whitening.