Contrary to many advertisements, it is difficult to obtain perfectly white teeth. Natural, healthy teeth have extremely subtle yellow, brown or grey tones. Shine a flashlight behind your front teeth and look in the mirror to see for yourself. Pure white teeth are like purple hair – they appear synthetic and distracting! However, light tooth shades are extremely attractive. What marketers refer to as “teeth whitening” should more accurately be called “teeth lightening.”

Tooth shade varies between people and even between teeth from the same person. Generally, permanent teeth are darker than primary teeth, and they have a yellow or grey tint to them. This colouration depends upon the natural shade of the outer layer of tooth structure (enamel) and the tooth layer under the enamel dentin). It also depends upon the thickness and translucency of the enamel.

• Brilliant Smile Equals Confidence
• You Can't Hide Ugly, Chipped Stained and Crooked Teeth
• The Danger of Soft Drinks
• How You Can Get Your Teeth Whitened
• Cosmetic or Aesthetic Dentistry
• The Importance of Oral health