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So as James Arthur wins the X factor 2012 it seems that it is almost compulsory for anyone that is on mainstream television to have their teeth whitened. This report in the Daily Mail shows almost the entire cast of finalists in the X factor queueing up for teeth whitening at a London clinic. But why is this? Why do so many celebrities go for teeth whitening?

It’s pretty simple really, having your teeth whitened is one of the few elective treatments in dentistry which can be done on almost everyone. It is also one of the fastest ways to make a great change to the way your smile looks. If your teeth are dark or yellow then you may be embarrassed to smile, having whiter teeth (even if they are crooked) will work to increase your confidence no end… And it seems that this is why so many celebrities have teeth whitening to increase their confidence whilst on TV.

What type of teeth whitening did James Arthur have?

Without actually being present it’s almost impossible to say, however one of the likely treatments is home teeth whitening. The length of time this takes depends upon which whitening system the dental practice chooses to use, however it is common for the treatment to take from a few days to a couple of weeks so long as you where the whitening trays for the prescribed length of time each day.

The process involves having some custom made whitening trays which fit exactly over your teeth, into these thin shell trays you will apply a small amount of special dental hydrogen peroxide gel which will gently lighten your teeth over the determined period.

The whitening trays are designed specially to prevent the hydrogen peroxide whitening gel from coming into contact with your gums. If this happens then damage to your sensitive gum area can take place, so always make sure that you have your teeth whitening performed at a dental practice and not with anyone that isn’t dentally trained.

When does teeth whitening not work?

If James Arthur had dental veneers or crowns then the whitening would not have worked. Teeth whitening only works on your natural teeth and does not work on crowns or veneers. If you have existing dental crowns or veneers, and want tooth whitening,  then you need to speak to your dentist as these restorations will need to be replaced. Generally what happens is that we whiten your teeth first, then once you are happy with the shade of your teeth we can make new crowns and veneers to match this lighter colour.

This allows you to control how white your teeth go and then we simply make the new restorations to match this colour. You may find that you need to top up your teeth whitening at regular intervals to ensure that your teeth stay the same colour as any crowns or veneers that have been made.

More information on teeth whitening treatments here.

As James Arthur goes out into the world of TV celebrity, we wish him all the best and hope that he continues to enjoy his whiter teeth!

Evolve Dentistry is a local Portishead dental practice on the outskirts of Bristol. We provide a range of cosmetic dental solutions including teeth whitening, dental crowns, veneers and orthodontics for straighter teeth.