Finding Your Bright White Smile
Tue 24 October 2006
RED wine, tea, chocolates and cigarettes. They're the little things that some argue make life worthwhile but the effect on your teeth can add years to your looks, writes Jackie McKeown.
Drinking a glass of wine while puffing casually on a cigarette may appear attractive but there's nothing alluring about the stained teeth which come as part of the package.
Having spent years chasing that alluring look, I have consequently tried most of the so-called
miracle applications which promised to give you that all-American grin.
Needless to say a good scrub with the yard brush would have been as, if not more, effective. So it was with a renewed sense of hope that I prepared for my appointment at Newry's new Appletree Dental Care clinic, which has introduced BriteSmile as a first for the district.
Set in the Old Gasworks development at Kilmorey Street, Appletree is the brainchild of Dr Katrina McKevitt and is as friendly a clinic as it is possible to find.
And that's saying something from someone who has spent years undergoing phobia treatment after an unfortunate experience with a needle and an over-zealous dentist.
Set in bright, modern surroundings the staff couldn't be more welcoming and are only too pleased to deal with any queries you may have. I had plenty but found that nerves had, for once, robbed me of my voice.
Sensing this immediately, Katrina guided me into the chair and explained the BriteSmile teeth whitening treatment which combines a gentle, whitening gel with a breakthrough new ultra-violet 'blue-light' to get your teeth looking fresh again in just one visit.
A plastic cheek retractor was gently inserted into my mouth and as I donned shaded glasses to protect my eyes from the light, Katrina took 'before' pictures of my teeth to check against the 'after' pictures later.
She then applied the whitening gel to my teeth and brought down the ultra-violet light close to my mouth while I settled back to watch a film on the flat screen TV above my head. Snuggled up in my blanket, I found I soon got used to it and indeed was so relaxed that I dozed of - a first for me in such surroundings.
Twenty minutes later Katrina returned to remove the light, and to check that I was still comfortable, apply more gel and leave me under the light again for twenty minutes. She repeated this process once more before informing me that I was done.
A quick picture and with the cheek retractor removed I was able to inspect my new whiter teeth and can honestly say that I felt truly ashamed of how I had abused and neglected them.
And when Katrina compared the before and after pictures my shame deepened and I resolved to at least try to take more care of my teeth which looked like they did before I started smoking all those years ago.
The whole process was over in an hour and a half and while I experienced a little sensitivity for 24 hours, it was nothing I couldn't cope with - and my new look smile more than made up for any discomfort.
In clinical studies, BriteSmile has been able to achieve an average nine shades whiter but your results will depend on the darkness of your teeth. Mine were a real challenge for Katrina and I have to say that she and BriteSmile came through with flying colours.
Leaving the clinic I felt strangely unnerved. Something was amiss. Something wasn't quite right. And then I hit on it. Pain - there wasn't any. What was going to the dentist without the pain? It doesn't seem natural somehow but it's an experience I could definitely get used to. For more details contact the clinic on 028 302 52228.
Newry Democrat