tooth-whitening | My Site 11040

Providing high quality dentistry in a friendly and caring environment for over 25 years

Contact us

Tooth Whitening

Tooth whitening can be a very effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surface. It cannot make a complete colour change, but it may lighten the existing shade as in the before and after picture below:

why would i need my teeth whitened?

Your teeth can also be stained on the surface by food and drinks such as tea, coffee, red wine and blackcurrant. Smoking can also stain teeth and our teeth can also become more discoloured as we get older

‘Calculus' or tartar can also affect the colour of your teeth. Some people may have staining under the surface, which can be caused by certain antibiotics or tiny cracks in the teeth which take up stains.

what does teeth whitening involve?

This is laser whitening or ‘power whitening'. During this procedure a rubber dam is put over your teeth to protect the gums, and a bleaching product is painted onto your teeth. Then a light or laser is shone on the teeth to activate the chemical. The light speeds up the reaction of the whitening product and the colour change can be achieved more quickly. Laser whitening is said to make teeth up to five or six shades lighter

In House bleaching

home bleaching

Your dentist will make a theraputic tray from impressions of your teeth. Once your dentist has started the treatment, you will need to continue the treatment at home. This means regularly applying the whitening product over a period of one to two weeks.

However, there are now some new products which can be applied for up to eight hours at a time. This means you can get a satisfactory result in as little as one week.

what are the side effects?

Some people may find that their teeth become sensitive to cold during or after the treatment. Others may have discomfort in the gums, a sore throat or white patches on the gum line. These symptoms are usually temporary and should disappear within a few days of the treatment finishing.

If any of these side effects continue you should go to your dentist.

what about the over-the-counter kits?

Because tooth whitening is a complicated procedure we advise that you always talk to your dentist before starting the treatment.

Many kits sold in the UK do not contain a concentration of the whitening product high enough to be effective and some kits sold over the internet may contain mild acids and abrasives. The ingredients used by your dentist are prescription only treatments.

Tooth whitening performed by anybody that is not a trained and registered dental professional is acting illegally. To find out more, click here