The answer is simple - you should be able to get back to your natural tooth shade - whatever that was.

These are the facts...

You are born with a shade of tooth, thats it you've got that shade for life, unlucky or of course lucky for some unless you can afford veneers!

So what happens is that during our life our teeth discolour through a variety of reasons, this could be anything from antibiotics taken as a child, fizzy drinks (which are terrible for tooth stains), tea & coffee, red wine, curries, smoking, drugs and general diet etc. However here is the good news - in the main, by using a home teeth whitening kit you can remove these stains.

The strength and length of tooth bleaching required for each person is different, and it is up to the individual to analyse what has caused the tooth discolouration and then determine the strength and type of treatment that will be required, indeed talk to your dentist for further advice. The obvious statement here is that, the more yellow or discoloured your teeth are the stronger and longer a teeth whitening treatment you will require. I will also add at this point that 'dull' teeth can sometimes be more difficult to whiten and often two whitening treatments maybe required.

As you start the teeth whitening process the stains are gradually 'bleached' treatment by treatment, they will get slowly whiter and brighter. We would always recommend taking a before and after picture for your own personal records. You keep whitening until you reach a plateau, which in theory will be close to your natural shade, not fake.

The important thing then is to maintain that shade by regular brushing with an electric toothbrush, a whitening toothpaste and don't forget flossing.

All tooth stains can be bleached, whitened and lightened - and the process is harmless although some people do get tooth sensitivity. This can range from a mild tingling sensation to in the worst cases severe stabbing pains and acute sensitivity. In the latter case stop use immediately and consult your dentist. The sensitivity is a temporary experience and it is not permanent. Precautions can be taken such as using a sensitive toothpaste, like Sensodyne, or using a de-sensitising gel prior to and during use. Tooth whitening will not damage your tooth enamel, it will not erode your enamel, however it will whiten your teeth.

Thats about as basic as i can explain it, if you have any concerns or you would like to discuss your personal situation in more detail then please contact me directly via email: stephen@themccannagency.co.uk. In the meantime, remember to brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes, floss four or five times per week and of course polish and whiten your teeth on a regular basis.

Happy Whitening

Steve Douglas

WINNERS

In August we launched our campaign to Create " A Million Xtra Smiles" through our Facebook page - Crestwhitestrips.co.uk. To enter all you have to do is upload your smile picture to our Facebook 'Wall' and each month we will select, in our opinion the 'best' smile picture and they will receive a £25 'in store credit' to spend on any product. Why not join the fun, review our products, send in your videos, before and after pics?

In August we chose 7 Winners who are below:-

Individuals who do not brush their teeth twice a day have an increased risk of heart disease, a new study shows [1&91;.

The study was published online May 27, 2010 in the British Medical Journal corresponding author is Prof Richard Watt (University College London, UK).

The researchers note that while it has been established that inflammation in the body (including mouth and gums) plays an important role in the buildup of atherosclerosis, this is the first study to investigate whether the number of times individuals brush their teeth has any bearing on the risk of developing heart disease.

They analyzed data from more than 11,000 adults who took part in the Scottish Health Survey, in which individuals were asked about lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, physical activity, and oral health routines. Questions asked included how often they visited the dentist and how often they brushed their teeth (twice a day, once a day, or less than once a day).

Information was also collated on medical history and family history of heart disease and blood pressure. Blood samples were taken from a subgroup of participants and tested for C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen levels. 

The data gathered from the interviews were linked to hospital admissions and deaths. Results showed generally good oral hygiene practices, with 62% of participants saying they visited the dentist every six months and 71% reporting that they brushed their teeth twice a day. After adjustment for established risk factors, it was found that participants who reported less frequent toothbrushing had an increased risk of heart disease compared with people who brushed their teeth twice a day. 

Participants who had poor oral hygiene also had increased levels of CRP and fibrinogen.
Hazard Ratio for Cardiovascular Events (Fatal and Nonfatal) Relative to How Often Teeth Are Brushed Each Day Frequency of Toothbrushing.

HR* (95% CI)

• Twice a day
• 1.0 Once a day
• 1.3 (1.0–1.5)
• Less than once a day
• 1.7 (1.3–2.3)
• P for trend0.001

*Adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic group, smoking, physical activity, visits to dentist, body-mass index, family history of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes

The researchers say: "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show an association between a single-item self-reported measure of toothbrushing and incident cardiovascular disease in a large representative sample of adults without overt cardiovascular disease. "They add: "Our study suggests a possible role of poor oral hygiene in the risk of cardiovascular disease via systemic inflammation. Raised inflammatory and homoeostatic responses as well as lipid metabolism disturbance caused by periodontal infection might be possible pathways underlying the observed association between periodontal disease and the increased risk for cardiovascular disease. "But they note that further studies are needed to confirm whether the observed association between oral health behavior and cardiovascular disease is in fact causal or merely a risk marker.

References[1&91;. de Oliveira C, Watt R, and Hamer M. Toothbrushing, inflammation, and risk of cardiovascular disease: Results from Scottish Health Survey. British Medical Journal. 2010; DOI:10.1136/bmj.c2

Thank you to the British Medical Journal for this valuable report which we hope we can further press home our concerns to our client base and visiting customers on a daily basis.

SO TODAY WELCOME TO OUR CAMPAIGN TO 'CREATE A MILLION SMILES'

 So I am asking for your help. 'Sign up or Like Us' by clicking this link to our Facebook Community page -  Crest Teeth Whitening & Oral Care and upload your ‘smile’ photo's to the iSMILE album and your chance to win £250 worth of teeth whitening kits.

So How Does Smiling Help Us?

OK well thats easy; the simple act of smiling moves hundreds of facial muscles upwards which exercises them and tightens the face, just like you would by going to the gym and doing some body weights. Not only that, smiling helps to reduce stress which in turn lowers blood pressure, and we haven't even started talking about the oral hygiene benefits.

The benefits of whitening your teeth are tremendous. This simple beauty treatment will remove your tooth stain and help you:-

• Look younger and feel more attractive
• Feel more confident about your inner and outer beauty and appear more successful
• Sparkle at parties, weddings, at work, in photo’s & videos, on holidays and in love
• Smile more - its really contagious, you will make others smile and feel happier
• Boost your health by relieving stress and lowering blood pressure

So please help me try to get a million people to join our Teeth Whitening & Oral Care Facebook Community. It's FREE it's FUN and it will be YOUR CHANCE to WIN, with nothing to lose, but a smile. If you like what we have to say why not refer a friend, we will reach a million smiles even quicker.

Our mission is to create a community with over a million smiles. So please join us and make this the best online collection of smiles and shared knowledge on teeth whitening and Crest Whitestrips. If you have used Crest Whitestrips, thinking about using them or just have a passion for them sign up now -  we are ready for your help. It's FREE it's FUN and it will be YOUR CHANCE to WIN, with nothing to lose, but a smile.