About Teeth Whitening
Should I Be Whitening My Teeth?
Whitening is usually the least expensive, least invasive and quickest way of improving the appearance of your teeth, however not everyone’s teeth are suitable for whitening. If your teeth and gums are not in a healthy condition before you whiten, the procedure may cause more damage.
The safest way to work out if your teeth are suitable for whitening and whether it will work for you is to see your dentist first for a proper assessment. They can then recommend the best way of improving the appearance of your teeth and a suitable whitening treatment. Dentists are the only people trained and qualified to make an accurate assessment of your teeth and gums.
For best results, dentists recommend that, before you perform bleaching, you have a professional scale and clean.
What Results Can I Expect?
Results achieved with whitening can vary greatly, what works well for one person may not work well for another. How much improvement you can expect depends on the colour of your teeth before you start treatment, people with yellow teeth usually have better results with whitening, whereas people with grey teeth may not notice any improvement in appearance. Your dentist can give you an indication of how successful whitening is likely to be for your individual situation following a proper assessment and give you an idea of the results you can anticipate.
How Long Does The Whitening Last?
If you don’t brush and floss your teeth, don’t get regular dental cleanings, drink a lot of coffee, tea and red wine, or suffer from acid erosion your results may not last as long. We usually recommend a ‘top up’ or maintenance treatment every 6 months to help maintain the results.
What Do I Need To Know About Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is an effective and minimally invasive way to improve your smile. If it is not used properly as directed, or provided by someone who isn’t a dentist than some harmful side effects can occur. Overuse of whitening products can be toxic and dangerous.
Some side effects include:
- teeth sensitivity
- chemical burns on gums and skin (if product is not provided from a dental professional and used as directed);
- If you have crowns, veneers or fillings, these will not change colour with bleaching, you could end up with different coloured teeth;
- sensitivity to hot and cold.
Your dentist will be able to let you know whether these side effects may happen to you.
What Is The Process Of Whitening?
We offer two types of teeth whitening — in chair and take home.
Take home teeth whitening kits are the most effective and safest form of teeth whitening and our preferred option. A mouthguard-like tray is made and filled with a peroxide based bleaching gel, this is placed over the teeth while asleep overnight, or for a few hours during the day, over a two week period.
In chair whitening is much faster option for teeth whitening and a good way to start the bleaching process, with this option we also provide you with some bleaching trays so you can top up the bleaching results at home.
Our Cosmetic Treatment Services
Learn more about our range of cosmetic dental services:
