Tips on Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening Options

1.      Laser Teeth Whitening : is a one hour procedure at a cosmetic dental practice

2.      Home Teeth Whitening : this is when custom fit trays are made and used at home over  1 to 2 weeks.

 Top tips on Teeth Whitening:

1.      Find out as much information about Teeth Whitening before going ahead.  Find out which system a Cosmetic Dentist uses and ensure that if having Laser Whitening that the correct Laser will be used and not the blue light used to set fillings hard. There are different laser teeth whitening systems out there so do your research before going ahead.

2.   Teeth Whitening is a procedure that should always be carried out under the supervision of a dentist.  Avoid the beauty salon teeth whitening procedures.

3.   Your teeth may experience some degree of sensitivity with hot and cold during the teeth whitening treatment.  We recommend you use Sensodyne toothpaste in place of your normal toothpaste whilst whitening your teeth.  If you still have sensitivity then also reduce the amount of gel you are putting into the teeth whitening trays.  It may take a little longer to whiten your teeth but at least you will be comfortable.

1. Also allow the teeth whitening gel to warm to room temperature before use.  Again this will help with sensitivity.

1. Do not overload the teeth whitening trays with gel as overflow may cause some gum irritation.  The best size of teeth whitening gel is roughly the size of a lentil per tooth.

1. Avoid citrus foods and juices, as this may contribute to sensitivity whilst you are teeth whitening.

1. Try to avoid smoking, eating spicy foods e.g. curry, drinking tea, coffee and red wine as these may slow down the teeth whitening process.  Also try to cut down on these after you have finished whitening your teeth as these will contribute to re-staining.

1. Keep your teeth whitening trays away from direct sunlight as this can distort the trays.

1. Do not eat, drink or smoke while wearing the teeth whitening trays.  The teeth whitening trays are custom-made to fit your teeth precisely.  Such activities may distort the trays.

1. To get the best result quickly, treatment days should not be interrupted.  However, if you miss or skip a day, the treatment days should be extended to compensate.

1. Make sure the cosmetic dentist you see is registered to do teeth whitening with the General Dental Council.