Everything You Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening

It is impossible to put a price on confidence. Having a smile that you are happy to share will bring all manner of benefits to your life. You may find yourself more assured in new professional or social situations. Or simply more comfortable displaying your natural emotions to anyone who makes you joyful, no matter who they are.

As you grow older your smile might need a bit of help. Your teeth can naturally yellow with age and acquire stains from tartar build up, smoking, and drinking and eating foods which discolour your teeth such as tea, coffee, cola, and red wine. During tooth formation, consumption of tetracycline, certain antibiotics or excessive fluoride may also cause tooth discoloration.

So How Can You Regain And Improve Your Teeth’s Natural Whiteness?

Whilst brushing and regular hygiene visits can help, sometimes stronger methods are required to get the desired bright and white smile. There are a number of ways to whiten your teeth and lighten their existing colour.

Teeth whitening should always be performed by a professional registered dentist, home kits are not recommended and unregistered professionals offering teeth whitening such as beauty salons is illegal.

You should start by consulting your dentist who can recommend the best treatments for you and monitor their success. Teeth whitening can only be done privately as it is considered a cosmetic treatment – it is only available on the NHS if there is a valid medical reason.

Bleach Whitening

The most common professional teeth whitening treatment is bleaching, as it is a fast, safe and effective method for instantly whiter teeth.

When using the bleaching method, your dentist will take a mould of your teeth to create a custom mouthpiece. This is used to apply a whitening bleach gel, often containing hydrogen peroxide, to your teeth to remove discolourations. You will then use this mouthguard to continue the treatment at home and apply the bleach gel over a period of 2-4 weeks to lighten your teeth.

You may experience some side effects of bleaching, including sensitivity and gum discomfort, but they will reside once the treatment has ended.

You may come across at-home whitening kits, but these are not recommended as the bleach is not powerful enough to whiten your teeth and as they are not carried out by a professional dentist the mouthpiece will not fit sufficiently and can damage your gums and mouth.

Zoom! Whitening

The most effective whitening method, and the one used at Bright & White, is Philips Zoom! Whitening. Zoom! whitens your teeth in the safest possible way. It reduces sensitivity, protects enamel, and improves the smoothness of your teeth.

The laser whitening process involves firstly protecting your gums with a special covering before your dentist applies a unique hydrogen peroxide whitening gel. The hydrogen peroxide breaks down the molecular bonds making up the stains on your teeth. The intense LED light of Philips Zoom! Whitening accelerates the whitening gel to make this process even faster, improving results by up to 40%.

It is important to note that results are not guaranteed and they vary between individuals. For best results, however, we recommend that the Zoom! treatment is carried out as part of a combination whitening treatment with the above bleach whitening solution so that you can continue to carry out treatment at home.

Keep Your Teeth Looking Bright and White

These teeth whitening treatments can last anything from a few months up to 3 years, and the results differ from person to person – what may be effective for some may not be as effective for others – everyone responds differently and you need to find the best solution for you.

There are a few things you can do, however, to ensure you achieve the full effect of the treatment and keep your teeth looking as white as possible.

The effects of the treatment will be less impactful and won’t last as long if you smoke or drink tea, coffee, red wine, and sugary foods as these stain the teeth, so cut down on these foods and stop smoking.

Brush and floss your teeth twice a day at night and in the morning. You can use a whitening toothpaste to help whiten teeth as polishing agents in the toothpaste improve their overall appearance, and the abrasion action of your brush will help remove stains.

And, of course, visit the dentist for regular checkups to prevent the formation of stains and plaque.

Get in touch today to ask any questions about the teeth whitening treatments we have available at Bright & White Dental Spa and book an appointment to determine which method is best for you: bleach whitening or laser whitening.

Are you ready to bolster your confidence and ensure your smile is ready for anyone?

We are here to make you smile

Book an appointment to find out more about our services.