Does whitening your teeth make you look younger?

Covering grey hairs, anti-ageing skincare and treatments, avoiding the sun. These are some of the most common things that spring to mind when we think about ageing and maintaining a youthful appearance. But what about teeth whitening? Even though you might not have put it on the list, a study by Oral B found that whitening your teeth can have a big impact on your appearance, as it can make you look 5 years younger and increase your attractiveness by 20%.

Ageing and your smile

Your teeth don’t stay constant throughout your life. Not only does your lower jaw never stop growing and you may begin habits such as teeth grinding, general ageing and your lifestyle can have an effect on the ‘whiteness’ of your teeth. 

When you’re younger, you have a strong, healthy exterior coating of enamel to protect your teeth, which is bright white in its natural form. However, over time the enamel will get thinner while the dentin, yellow in colour, gets thicker and darker. Because of the thinning of the enamel, the dentin will start showing more and more. Your teeth will also stain over time with the food and drink you consume. Some of the top culprits are tea, coffee, red wine, darkly pigmented curries, and tobacco. 

So, how can I keep my smile white?

Firstly, a white smile is no good if your oral health isn’t in good shape. Begin by making sure your daily oral hygiene routine is the best it can be and also limit sugary treats to meal-times only. 

Then make sure to drink water after darkly pigmented food and drink and have regular professional cleans with our hygienist to get your teeth stain free. Lastly, and probably the most obvious is teeth whitening treatment. 

Before you start searching for online whitening strips…

Whitening your smile has become increasingly popular over the last couple of decades, however provided it is carried out by a dental professional, whitening is safe and a very effective way to a bright, white smile. 

You might be tempted to buy over the counter whitening treatments. However, legally, they must be of a low enough concentration so as not to do any harm, which means they’re not usually strong enough to make a huge difference. Items bought over the Internet can be much stronger but also come with a very real risk of serious health problems. Never put your health at risk and always whiten your teeth with a dental professional.