Ask the Dentist: Teeth Whitening

Q: What do I need to know before getting my teeth whitened at a dental clinic?

A: The first thing you should know is that you are on the right track to achieve whiter teeth! In our experience, the most effective way to whiten teeth is done through a combination of in-clinic chairside whitening followed by at-home whitening.

It is also a safe way to whiten the shade of natural teeth as it neither weakens the enamel (unlike overzealous brushing with whitening toothpaste) nor makes your teeth more prone to cavities.

How much whiter will my teeth go?

It is important to understand that teeth whitening treatments produce different results for different people. Enamel that is more permeable tends to whiten more easily, but there isn’t a test that can be done beforehand to assess that.

Following up with the home kit allows further whitening and better results. As you can adjust the amount of contact time between the whitening gel and your teeth, you can achieve the degree of whitening desired. For instance, if you want your teeth to be even whiter, wear the whitening trays at home for a few more days.

Another thing to note is that if you have any pre-existing crowns and white fillings, these would not change its shade even after teeth whitening. Therefore, if you would like to replace a crown or white filling, it is advised for the replacement to be done two weeks after your whitening treatment.

How long does it last?

Teeth whitening generally lasts for six to nine months. The duration is largely dependent on what one eats and drinks which cause extrinsic staining of the teeth. Therefore, it is recommended for one to avoid food and drinks which has intense colouring for 24 hours after treatment (eg. tea, coffee, curry, soy sauce etc).

Are there any side effects?

A degree of tooth sensitivity, for up to 48 hours, can be expected after an in-clinic whitening treatment. This can be controlled by brushing with a toothpaste for sensitive teeth. An anti-inflammatory painkiller can help if there is extreme sensitivity, but thankfully this is rare.

A brighter and whiter smile can make you look younger and be a great confidence booster. As long as it is done with the right whitening agent and methods, very good results can be achieved. Most importantly, we always encourage our patients to share their concerns with us, so that we can address them and ensure that their experience is as pleasant as it can be.

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Dr Steven Soo is a Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics with Specialist Dental Group®. He was formerly a Clinical Lecturer at the Eastman Dental Institute and Clinical Teacher at the GKT Dental Institute, both of which are affiliated with the University of London. Dr Soo has a special interest in prosthetic and implant restorative dentistry.

For more information, visit www.specialistdentalgroup.com.

Phone: +65 6733 7883 

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Specialist Dental Group ® is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services. 

Democracy At Its Finest

Daniel Lawrie, a Second year McGill student, ran for SSMU VP Internal, one of the many positions that went uncontested.

By John Nnamchi

The mid to late march period probably marks one of the most important and entertaining periods for the student body at McGill. This is the time when the inspired, eager, or downright brave individuals launch their campaigns for the numerous positions of the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU). Of course, representing the entire student body of twenty five thousand undergraduates is a prestigious honor, but historically, SSMU elections are notoriously famous for being extremely controversial.

Last year, competition got the better of the two presidential hopefuls when one candidate’s Facebook account was hacked, and his personal messages between his election team and peers exposed on his campaign page. The year before that, the president’s victory was invalidated, after the losing competitor successfully pushed an investigation claiming numerous infractions of campaign bylaws on the part of the winner. Given the claims were very disputable, a lawsuit then followed. Voters themselves contribute to the mess as well, where the bulk of problems actually begin as questions from the public easily snowball into endless debates. Safe space (November 2015 issue) is a popular topic, where many candidates who suggest improvements for safe space initiatives in their platforms, are bombarded with insults from the community. The huge publicity and lasting reputations can get the better of some, as it did with one girl who dropped out of the race, stating extreme psychological harm resulting from her scandalous campaign story. The saying goes, if you plan to run for student politics at McGill, expect the full, political experience: hence the bravery.

Perhaps this is why, out of the 7 SSMU positions available, around half of the candidates run un-contested. Do not be fooled by this seemingly easy win though: last year, a group of unhappy students ran a Vote NO campaign against the only running candidate for VP External, as they disagreed with his platform. Of the 25 000 undergraduates, are there really so few motivated and caring students willing to represent their student body? Or does the election history cause most to shy away in fear? Although the cause is a probable combination of the two, there is an obvious problem. Nonetheless, the campaign pages of this year’s hopefuls are up; let the show begin.

MYANMAR AS IT'S NEVER BEEN SEEN!

By  Heavens Portfolio
singaporeoffice@heavensportfolio.com    Phone: +65 6238 1718

The Grand Dame of the Ayeyarwady River, Belmond Road to Mandalay, will depart for it’s 20 Year Anniversary cruise on 1st October 2016. Marking two decades of exploring the magical rivers of Myanmar, the special four night, five day journey follows the route of the inaugural cruise from Bagan to Mandalay. With special thanks to the communities along the rivers that have generously welcomed Belmond’s guests for 20 years, five percent of the ticket price for this anniversary cruise will be donated to the Belmond Myanmar Foundation, to support the opening of a new hospital facility in Bagan.

The festivities begin with a traditional dance ceremony and cocktail reception on the banks of the river. For those with a head for heights, there is an additional option to choose a ride above the temples and pagodas with ‘Balloons over Bagan’ * or take a journey in a traditional horse and cart to visit the gilded Buddha statues.

At Taung Be village in Bagan, guests are invited to visit the free clinic where, Dr Hla Tun, the ship’s Doctor and inspirational leader of Belmond’s Myanmar Foundation, treats hundreds of patients in his free time – many travel great distances to receive his treatment.

Sailing aboard Belmond Road to Mandalay guests can relax and enjoy the hypnotic rhythms of the great Ayeyarwady river and the mesmerising views of golden stupas dotting the riverbanks; take a refreshing dip in the swimming pool and enjoy alfresco dining in the newly launched Bar & Grill serving local cuisine on the ship’s teak Observation Deck – the largest open space on the river. For health and wellbeing, guests can check into the spa for a traditional Burmese massage or join a sunrise yoga session.

The cruise culminates in Mandalay, with the first ever ‘Belmond Road to Mandalay Rally’ that will see guests try their hand at traditional Burmese skills and activities including driving an Ox and Cart, rolling Cheroots (cigars) and learning a Burmese dance. A prize giving ceremony will take place at the Gala Anniversary Dinner served under the stars.

Belmond’s 20 Year Anniversary cruise prices start from US$ 5,640 per person including 2 nights at Belmond Governor’s Residence in a Deluxe Garden room including breakfast, transfers to the hotel and onwards to Belmond Road to Mandalay based on two sharing Deluxe Cabin.


www.belmond.com

*additional charges apply for Balloons over Bagan.

STEAMing into the future

By CIS Design teacher and STEAM ambassador Joe Sergi

What is STEAM?

STEAM stands for science, technology, entrepreneurship (or Engineering), arts and mathematics. It is a teaching approach which demonstrates how each of these disciplines are connected and closely aligned with what students will experience when they enter the workforce.

Many people think schools which integrate STEAM into their curriculum simply use ipads, interactive whiteboards and only teach science. STEAM is so much more than that! It’s not a subject, instead, it’s an engaging, hands-on, inquiry-based teaching framework that can be customised for all types of students and programmes.

Why is a STEAM so important?

STEAM provides an effective teaching framework for developing young learners with essential 21st century skills such as collaboration, research, problem solving, critical thinking and creativity. We can’t be teaching our children there is a ‘bubble sheet answer’ for everything! Life isn’t like this. STEAM provides students with the opportunities to think critically and approach problems from multiple perspectives.

What does a STEAM teaching approach look like at CIS?

The approach is integrated across our curriculum from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12, as well as in co-curricular programmes such as robotics, coding and lego leagues.

From Grade 1 onwards, students are exposed to STEAM experiences in our stimulating makerspace rooms. These are special areas filled with state-of-the art equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters, all designed to motivate students to experiment, build and invent!


To find out more information about CIS and its STEAM programme sign up for a fun family day out at their STEAM Fair on April 23 at www.cis.edu.sg/steamfairt www.cis.edu.sg/steamfair