The Dos And Don'ts Of Teeth Whitening

In pursuit of that mega-watt smile

- Syed Zulfadhli

More than the fame and the glamour, what we covet most on red carpet habitués like Bradley Cooper, Robert Pattinson, George Clooney and Tom Cruise is a set of dazzling white teeth.

The truth behind many a mega-watt Hollywood smile, however, is a staggering dental bill. Tom Cruise, for example, reportedly spent more than US$30,000 aligning and whitening his biters. While that is probably small change for him, it’s more than the average Joe can afford on top of his usual living expenses.

Undaunted, we scoured the Internet and discovered a whole slew of possibilities, including a number of unorthodox methods that teeter between science and witchery. To make sure we set out on a safe track though, we ran them by a dental surgeon. Despair not, gleaming ivory perfection can be attained yet.

Why Do Teeth Get Yellow

“Staining is the most common cause of discolouration,” said Dr Ong Teng Sin, dental surgeon at One-North Dental. He went on to explain that discolouration comes in two forms – extrinsic and intrinsic – and may also be a result of ageing.

“Extrinsic teeth stains are acquired when particles accumulate in the pellicle – the film of protein covering the tooth enamel. These particles can come from smoking or the frequent consumption of pigment-rich food such as tea, coffee, red wine and even tomatoes. Unmonitored and unchecked, such particles can accumulate and crystallise, and over time become increasingly difficult to remove,” he explained.

Polish And Bleach

“There are of course ways to address this nature of stains,” offered Dr Ong. Some of the latest technology include dual-light treatments. “You could do in-office dental treatments or try DIY methods at home.”