Tooth Whitening
Tooth whitening does work but there are many factors to consider as well which you need to be aware of.
The types of tooth whitening
Having your teeth whitened is one of the most cost effective ways to instantly improve your smile and appearance. It’s painless, non-invasive and fairly quick to do. Generally speaking, there are two types of tooth whitening.
The first type is done at home with the gel that the dentist provides and the other type is done exclusively in the dental surgery. So, which one is best? The answer is that to get the best teeth whitening results which will last, you should go for both. The effect of one enhances the effect of the other.
The process
In essence, you first have the intensive laser tooth whitening done in the surgery and this is then immediately followed up with whitening done at home. The in-surgery whitening gives an immediate boost but you do get fade back where the colour regresses a bit. In order to avoid this, you then should whiten your teeth at home for 5 days. This maintains the whiteness that you achieved in the surgery but also you can top up yourself as and when because everyone’s teeth will gradually discolour over time due to foods or drinks which cause staining to your teeth.
Having both the surgery whitening and the home teeth whitening will cost less than if both were done entirely separately so it is better value for money. Always remember that if you do decide to have your teeth whitened then it won’t alter the colour of your existing fillings or crowns.
Some patients complain that their teeth get sensitive during the whitening process, but if the whitening is done properly then this rarely happens. There are various ways to reduce post operative sensitivity including proper use of a sensitive toothpaste such as Sensodyne, using the correct concentration of Peroxide or carbamide whitening gels and to protect areas where the enamel is thin by a glass ionomer.
Finally, we also give discounts if you book a top up tooth whitening session. This comes in handy if for example you have a special occasion to go to and you want to look your best with added confidence. We offer a FREE tooth whitening consultation which will tell you if tooth whitening will work for you and which package is best value for the results you want.
Are there any risks?
Can tooth whitening be harmful? Tooth whitening is safe even for pregnant women. There is no evidence of harm done to the teeth is correctly performed. We have done over 10,000 teeth whitening procedures and very few problems occur if you are the right patient for the procedure and the procedure is done correctly with proper follow-ups.
We offer a FREE 10 minute tooth whitening assessment every Wednesday and Saturday so you can be advised if tooth whitening will work for you.