Brighten up your summer
Posted on June 27
Hello again, I hope you are well. Last month I went to Lake Bled in Slovenia. I was at an international medical laser congress there. It was a fantastic learning experience and I came away with few “top tips”. What a beautiful place though. It was stunning.
Do You Need Cheering Up? After Last Month’s Article On Gums And Brains You Might Do…
You’re probably thinking, “How the heck can a dentist possibly cheer me up?”
Well, there are a few ways to simply improve your smile and this can cheer you up no end. Probably the simplest way to perk up your teeth and subsequently your mood and confidence is tooth whitening. It can brighten up your life.
So Will It Work For You?
Tooth whitening works superbly well for so many people and in most situations, I see the answer is yes to the above question. It is particularly effective for natural yellowing of teeth and teeth that have darkened through the rigours of daily life including tea and coffee.
Whitening will only work on natural tooth and not on crowns, veneers or fillings. It is also very good for mild tetracycline staining (tetracycline is an antibiotic) and mild mottling/staining from fluorosis (excess fluoride intake during tooth development).
Some more intense staining and mottling may not be amenable to straightforward tooth whitening alone. Obviously, your teeth need to be in good nick. Trying to do tooth whitening on bad, decayed teeth is a non-starter and may well cause pain and discomfort so it is really not a good idea at all.
If you have some discoloured fillings and want your natural teeth whiter it might make the filling stand out more. A simple solution is tooth whitening and replacement of the filling or even just to resurface the filling if it is otherwise sound. Simple, yet extremely effective, both visually and in your pocket.
Do You Fancy Some Tooth Blackening?
Has Branfield gone mad? Just keep with me a moment. There is an old custom in Japan, for the blackening of teeth by married women and courtesans as an enhancement of their beauty. The custom, rooted in antiquity, had gradually become proof of the married status of women. Before a new bride entered her husband’s home she would visit seven relatives to receive dye and then underwent “the first blackening”.
The dye was primarily derived from ferric tannate and was applied by a brush made from a crushed twig. The dye would be reapplied as it wore. It was seen that blackened teeth showed evidence that a wife had sworn eternal fidelity to her spouse. My wife was having nothing of it.
Mind you it’s not really a good look is it?
Back To The Big Smoke
I’m off to do an intensive 4-day course with The Academy Of Oro-facial Myofunctional Therapy in association with the British Society of Dental Sleep Medicine held at the Royal Society Of Medicine. Four days!!!
It’s all to with improving airways for snoring and improving problems with facial pain associated with teeth clenching/grinding. Sounds interesting. As an anorak I’m always looking for better!
Until next time.
Take care and be good.
Chris