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Teeth whitening involves bleaching your teeth to make them lighter. It can’t make your teeth brilliant white, but it can lighten the existing color by several shades.
Teeth whitening is a form of dentistry and should only be carried out by a dentist or another regulated dental professional, such as a dental hygienist or dental therapist, on the prescription of a dentist.
Some beauty salons offer teeth whitening, but this is illegal if there’s no dental professional present, and it may put your oral health at risk.
If you have your teeth whitened you’ll need to make several visits to the dental surgery over a couple of months.
The dentist will take an impression of your teeth to make a mouthguard and tell you how to use it with a bleaching gel. Then, using your mouthguard at home, you regularly apply the gel for a specified period of time over 2 to 4 weeks. Some whitening gels can be left on for up to 8 hours at a time, which shortens the treatment period to 1 week.
Any dentist can whiten teeth as long as they’re registered with the General Dental Council. Registered dental therapists and dental hygienists can also carry out teeth whitening on the prescription of a dentist.
Only go to a registered dental professional for teeth whitening because whitening by people who aren’t qualified, for example in beauty salons, is illegal. Home kits also carry risks.
Some home kits don’t contain enough whitening products to be effective. Also, if a dental professional isn’t doing the whitening, the mouthguard provided may not fit properly so some of the bleaching gel may leak out onto your gums and into your mouth, causing blistering and sensitivity.
Teeth whitening carried out in beauty salons by untrained staff or staff without dental qualifications put your oral health at risk and is also illegal.
You can only have your teeth whitened at the dentarayclinic if there’s a medical reason for it. For example, this might be to lighten teeth that have discolored because the nerve has died.
Otherwise, teeth whitening by a dentist or other dental professional can only be done privately because it’s considered to be a cosmetic treatment. Costs vary and laser whitening is more expensive than professional bleaching.
Your dentist will advise you whether whitening is right for you. It may be that teeth whitening isn’t suitable, for example, if you have gum disease or crowns.
Don’t be afraid to ask simple questions about the types of whitening treatment available, what results in you can expect, and whether the work is guaranteed for a certain period of time.
You may also want to ask them whether there are any risks involved – for example, increasing the sensitivity of your teeth.
Try to talk to other people who’ve had the same treatment or visit another dentist for a second opinion until you feel confident. Always ask for a written treatment plan and price estimate before going ahead.
Teeth whitening isn’t permanent. It can last from a few months to up to 3 years – it varies from person to person.
The whitening effect won’t last as long if you smoke or drink red wine, tea, or coffee, which can all stain your teeth.
Teeth whitening doesn’t work on dentures, crowns, fillings, or veneers.
No matter what treatment you use, there’s a chance your gums will be sensitive to the chemicals used in teeth whitening, particularly if you already have sensitive teeth. There’s also a chance of burns to gums and some of the whitening kits used at home can harm tooth enamel.
We are a team of experienced and passionate dental professionals.
In our clinic, we are committed to providing you with the best results while maintaining your comfort with our expert dentists, assistants and allied staff. Our goal is to provide you with a satisfying, stress-free and calm dental experience and to always give you a ‘reason to smile’.
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