HOW accurate are those before-and-after pictures splashed in ads for teeth-whitening treatments? You know, the ones which show yellowed teeth transformed into bling blings.
LifeStyle put this claim to the test and I was the guinea pig in the hands of Dr Chin Shou King at T32 Dental Centre.
First came a general assessment and clean-up of my teeth, which took about 20 minutes.
At the next session, my gums were first coated with a protective gel that hardens by light activation to isolate them from the peroxide bleaching agent.
The bleaching gel was then applied onto the outer side of my teeth and activated again by a special light.
The strong chemical reaction breaks down the stains on the teeth, thus whitening them.
After a 1 1/2-hour session, there was a visible improvement.
Following the treatment, my teeth were slightly sensitive that night, but I applied a soothing dental mousse as prescribed and the discomfort wore off the next day.
I was also told to avoid eating any food with dark pigmentation for the next two days.
I can't say for sure if I now light up the room just by parting my lips, but the pretty girl next door seems to be smiling at me more these days. Or maybe it's just my imagination.
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WHY PEARLIES DISCOLOUR
External causes
The tooth surface can be stained by dark compounds found in food such as coffee, tea, cola, red wine, dark chocolate and soya sauce.
Smoking and inadequate cleaning of teeth also result in stains. Mild external stains can be removed by routine treatment like scaling and polishing.
Internal causes
Processes like ageing, trauma, decay, certain medical conditions and genetic factors may lead to an intrinsic discolouration of teeth.
Some medications taken in childhood such as tetracycline, an antibiotic, can also cause discolouration.
This story was first published in thesundaytimes on Mar 30.
