Ask the Dentist: Q: How much whiter will my teeth be after teeth whitening?

 A: It is possible to whiten your teeth by a few shades when you get a professional in-clinic teeth whitening treatment. Nonetheless, it is important to understand that teeth whitening treatments produce different results for different people.

One of the main factors that affect the results would be the permeability of enamel. Enamel that is more permeable tends to whiten more easily (however, there isn’t a test that can be done beforehand to assess that).

Another factor would be the tooth’s natural colour. Teeth naturally discolour with age as the tooth enamel wears off to reveal more of dentine, which is yellow in nature. Some people have darker dentine than the others, and in such cases, teeth whitening may not be effective as teeth whitening treatment is designed to whiten the enamel and not the dentine.

Finally, it also depends on the type of stains present. In-clinic teeth whitening treatment is effective in removing deep as well as surface stains, however is not as effective in treating grey stains.

During the consultation, your dental specialist/dentist will examine your oral condition and help set realistic expectations.

In order to achieve further whitening and better results, it is generally recommended to follow up with the take home whitening kit. 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.

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. www.specialistdentalgroup.com | (65) 6733 7883

The benefits of purposeful play

CIS Lakeside primary school principal, Dr Colleen Drisner, shares how the right kindergarten programme sets the foundation for learning. A child’s early development is undoubtedly one of the most important stages of their learning journey. It not only sets the foundation for honing their cognitive skills but also supports them in learning key competencies such as critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

What makes a great kindergarten?

Learning becomes a social endeavour. The foundation for success lies in the development of a student’s personal, social and emotional wellbeing. To foster a child’s academic abilities, you have to be able to “see” the whole child.

Helping children ‘learn how to learn’. We go about this by guiding students to develop their own voice and interest in learning. This helps to support the development of positive attitudes, habits and learning styles, which in turn develops strong foundational skills such as numeracy and literacy.

Purposeful play and the inquiry-based learning approach engages children and triggers their curiosity. This allows them to hone their critical thinking skills, excel at collaborative work and be able to solve problems creatively. For example, exploring concepts through interactive activities such as water play means you really can learn all about volume and capacity through the hands-on process.

Learning is fun and stimulating. The one thing that you should not see in a supportive kindergarten programme is a worksheet-heavy curriculum. It discourages group work, curiosity and exploration while emphasising only one correct way of completing or answering a task or question.

The physical setup of a kindergarten will have a huge impact on how children learn and communicate with the world around them. At CIS, we have a dedicated kindergarten wing where classrooms spill out into large and open learning pods. These are spaces where students can participate in hands-on activities or interact with their peers at exhibitions and celebrations. Some of our kindergarten classrooms also connect directly to the school’s Outdoor Discovery Centre, a layout that allows our students to easily engage and learn from the environment around them.

Join a Kindergarten open house at CIS on 24 & 25 February to see their learning approach in action and meet their teachers.