References
An update on discoloured teeth and bleaching part 1: the aetiology and diagnosis of discoloured teeth
From Volume 45, Issue 7, July 2018 | Pages 601-608
Article
In a modern society which celebrates beauty and perfection the demand for an idealized appearance has never been greater. This need for perfection has been driven as much by societal expectations as it has by the media. Age is no longer a barrier to patients' quests for improved appearance, however, greater dissatisfaction regarding dental appearance has been reported in younger age groups.1 The dental industry has considerable responsibility and a versatile armamentarium to drive improvements in appearance, and it is not unusual for patients to approach dentists and allied oral healthcare professionals for advice regarding improving dental appearance as well as facial aesthetics. Visible caries has been reported to lead to more negative judgements regarding social competence, intellectual ability, psychological adjustment and relationship satisfaction.2 Tooth colour has been found to exert an influence on social perceptions2 and, as such, can have an adverse influence on individuals' psychosocial health and quality of life.3 Self-assessed perceptions of tooth discoloration can be very critical. In a self-assessment based national study of 3215 subjects, 50% of respondents reported dissatisfaction with their tooth colour.4 With such high levels of dissatisfaction with tooth colour it is unsurprising that the demand for procedures to improve tooth colour have increased significantly, and there is evidence that this can have a considerable impact on patients' self-esteem.5
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