Opening Hours
Mon 08:30 -18:00
Tues-Thurs 08:30 -17:00
Fri 08:30 -13:00
Tooth whitening is a well established procedure in dentistry. Hydrogen Peroxide is the active agent within our tooth whitening products. This has been safely used for many years and works by increasing the tooth’s permeability to oxygen that breaks down stain molecules.
The whitening process is effective on most discoloured teeth. Darker stains, such as those caused by antibiotics are more difficult to whiten. The degree of whitening will vary from patient to patient but will not affect the shade of any crowns, bridges or veneers you may have.
Home tooth whitening is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.
Tooth Whitening Procedure
If you decide to go ahead with home tooth whitening, you will be asked to attend the Practice for impressions. Custom made whitening trays will then be made for you. Approximately 10-14 days later your dentist will provide you with these trays and a whitening kit to take home with you. You will be shown how to apply the whitening agent to your trays and how to take care of your trays. You will receive full instructions in order to achieve the optimum results from your kit. You will be offered another appointment in 2 weeks to review your progress and give you the opportunity to ask any queries that may arise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will it damage my teeth or gums ?
Safety studies have been carried out on the whitening system prescribed by your dentist. They have shown that it is perfectly safe and does not harm teeth, gums, cheeks or tissue of the mouth.
You may see over the counter bleaching kits that appear cheaper than our whitening system. These normally contain an acid rinse that can erode the enamel of your teeth leading to irreversible damage.
How white will my teeth get ?
Home whitening is very effective and can whiten teeth between 4 – 16 shades. These results do vary but if used correctly, all teeth can whiten dramatically. However your teeth will not look “too white”. Natural teeth rarely look too white. Sometimes very white crowns can look unnatural mainly because they are made of porcelain.
Please remember that the shade of any crowns, veneers, bridges, dentures or fillings in front teeth will remain unaffected by the whitening treatment.
Will I experience any pain or discomfort ?
You should not experience any pain during the whitening process. However you may experience some sensitivity. If this occurs we would recommend stopping the treatment for a few days and rubbing a de-sensitising toothpaste (eg Sensodyne) around the sensitive teeth a couple of times a day until the symptoms have gone. If you are worried please contact us for further advice.
How long does it take ?
This is very individual but on average, home tooth whitening will achieve good results after 10-14 consecutive daily applications. In some cases it may take as long as 30 consecutive daily applications to achieve the lightest shade possible for you.
The active ingredient will be effective for approximately 2 hours. You can decide to wear your trays during the day or overnight. If you decide to sleep in your trays then it is important to remove any excess whitening agent that may have oozed onto your gums, palate or tongue.
How long does it last ?
Results can last indefinitely with some very simple maintenance of wearing the trays occasionally to “top up” the treatment. If you drink lots of coffee, red wine, cola or smoke then the effects may darken sooner rather than later. Additional syringes of the whitening agent can be purchased from the Practice (priced at £20 per syringe).
