Teeth whitening is on the rise in Brisbane, but dentists aren’t doing cartwheels about it. Read on to find out why! Why do we crave a glowing white smile? When you meet new people or confer with a colleague, your smile helps you put your best foot forward. It’s your way of expressing happiness, of sharing experiences with others, and making new connections. Your smile is seriously important! So, if your teeth have yellowed as a result of your weekend love of wine or just as a result of age, it can be a real downer. This is when most of us turn to teeth whitening – and often it’s the easier, cheaper, nastier types you can buy over the counter and use at home. Given that the chemicals used in these products are harsh and can cause serious damage to your pearly whites, the trend is extremely disturbing to dentists. You don’t want to skimp on your smile – you want to give your toothy pegs a well-deserved spa day. Only a professional dentist can do this safely and effectively. Teeth whitening options There are a number of different options available currently to help you whiten your teeth. These include: Teeth whitening strips Teeth whitening strips involve the application of a film of bleaching agent directly to the teeth, which gradually whitens them. The effect lasts for about 1 to 2 weeks depending on your lifestyle, so it’s an ongoing process. While the strips are usually inexpensive, it’s not very effective, and the chemicals used can be harmful. Whitening pens Whitening pens include ingredients similar to those found in the whitening strips – peroxide and baking soda – but without the longer exposure that whitening strips provide. Again, they’re inexpensive and only temporarily effective. At-home bleaching At home bleaching is when a solution is applied to a plastic tray that looks similar to a mouth guard. This is inserted into the mouth, where the solution is left on the teeth for around 30 to 60 minutes. With proper care, the whitening effect can last for 3 to 12 months. Professional ‘in office’ treatments In a professional dentist setting, a gel is applied to the teeth and an LED light is used to whiten them. The procedure usually takes 60 minutes, and involves the dehydration of the teeth surfaces, which brightens them. The effects of this procedure can last for 1 to 3 years. Smartlight 3LT and Smart Bleach KTP Laser treatments This method is more advanced and involves the use of a specially formulated red gel on the teeth and a green light to whiten. The process doesn’t involve dehydration and is therefore much better for your teeth,...

Help! My Filling Fell Out! What Do You Do When Your Fillings Start Abandoning Ship? A bite of lunch. A sip of coffee. You run your tongue along your teeth when suddenly you realise… It’s gone. That familiar presence in your mouth. Your helpful little tooth buddy has sailed off into the sunset quicker than you can say “Ahoy there!”. So what do you do when you realise that your filling fell out? What does it mean? A word about fillings A filling is designed to provide assistance to a tooth that has experienced decay. It can be made from a variety of materials depending on personal choice, dental availability, aesthetic preference and cost. The filling material effectively acts as a plug and safeguards the tooth against the invasion of further bacteria. By very nature of the complex processes of the human mouth, fillings are not designed to last forever. As the mouth, jaw and teeth will shift and change over time, it’s only natural that your fillings will eventually decide to sail off towards that big dental surgery in the sky. But my filling fell out! Besides feeling betrayed by your problem filling, there are a few questions you may have. Where did it go? Is anything bad going to happen? What do I do now? Where did my filling go? Good question. Your filling could have become dislodged in something that you were eating. It could have fallen out while you were brushing or flossing. Or… you could have swallowed it. (It’ll pass.) None of these are a big deal. If your filling fell out, the most important thing to do is to let it go and focus on the aspect of your treatment you can actually control. Is anything bad going to happen? Your decayed tooth is now exposed to the air, bacteria and food substances. You might experience a weird sensation, like nerves tingling, or you may be in actual pain. When you realise that your filling fell out your first port of call should be your dentist. What do I do now? Call your family dentist and arrange a dental appointment as quickly as possible to prevent further damage to the exposed tooth. Let reception know that your filling fell out so they can give you any further immediate advice. Don’t let a tooth mutiny get you down. If your filling fell out, set sail for Robert Duhig Dental for the gentlest treatment on the high...