At our practice in Buckinghamshire, teeth whitening is a very popular treatment amongst our patients, but did you know where the idea of teeth whitening first came from? We take it for granted now that we can lighten the shade of our teeth with the latest technology, but it wasn’t always the case!
Did you know that it was the ancient Egyptians who are attributed with the first recorded practice of teeth whitening? Buckinghamshire is a far cry from ancient Egypt, but the first teeth whitening pioneers were seeking to maintain or embrace the social signifiers of beauty and wealth that came with having bright white teeth in ancient Egyptian society. These early pioneers used a mixture of wine vinegar mixed with ground pumice stone to create a paste that could be applied to the teeth.
Wee and acid, are you sure that’s a good idea?
There have been many strange teeth whitening procedures employed throughout history. Some people would file down the teeth they wanted to whiten and then applied an acid that eroded the tooth enamel but left the teeth looking whiter. The only problem was this was that it tended to lead to advanced tooth decay as a result!
Even stranger were the Roman practices of using… yes, you’ve guessed it… urine, to whiten their teeth. Because of the high ammonia content of urine, the Ancient Romans used it on their teeth, the ammonia acting as a bleach to create a whiter smile. The lengths we go to for beauty!
Luckily you don’t have to go to these lengths today in Buckinghamshire. Teeth whitening is a much safer (and more hygienic) process today. Luckily you won’t have to use acid (or worse) to brighten your smile. We offer the latest in whitening technology.
At Garden View we use a power whitening treatment that can be carried out at the surgery using a special gel and an activation lamp which catalyses the gel to powerfully whiten your teeth. You can also opt for at-home trays to take with you. Whether you choose power whitening or choose to opt for a home whitening kit, you can be assured of a smile that will dazzle and amaze, with a minimum of fuss required to achieve your perfect white smile.


Let our professionals in the field of
Safety first
Although it is a very popular procedure, many people still have questions about teeth whitening treatment. We have collected some common questions and answers below. If you have any other queries, please get in touch with our Buckinghamshire clinic.
A happy smile tends to be a healthier smile. When you come into Garden View Dental Care in Buckinghamshire for a cosmetic dentistry consultation, your dentist will conduct a thorough clinical examination, to establish whether there are any underlying health concerns behind your cosmetic issues.
If you remember only one thing about teeth whitening, let it be this: it must only be carried out on the prescription of a fully qualified dentist. Whilst a hygienist or hygiene therapist who has undergone appropriate training may physically provide the treatment, it must be on a dentist’s prescription.
A large proportion of the UK population are unhappy with how their smile looks – 48% of us are dissatisfied with our current smile’s appearance. The biggest complaint is about stained our discoloured teeth. If this is affecting you, a cosmetic dentistry consultation at our Buckinghamshire dental practice can help.
The most important thing to remember, should you be looking into your options for teeth whitening in Buckinghamshire, is that it should only be carried out by a dentist. This isn’t a recommendation: it’s a fact of law. Because teeth whitening is classed as dentistry by dentists’ governing body the General Dental Council, that means it’s against the law for anyone other than a dental professional to carry it out.
What you need to know
Most people dream of a beautiful, Hollywood-style white smile, but unfortunately the stresses and strains of everyday life can easily get in the way. When you think about what your teeth go through in an average day, it’s not difficult to understand how they become stained. Tea, coffee, cola, red wine, habits such as smoking and even some medicines can result in staining of the teeth.