There are many reasons for teeth discolouration. These include medicines, tobacco, coffee, tea, certain foods and natural ageing. Teeth whitening provides a cost-effective and non-invasive method of enhancing your smile. And the best part is, you can do it from the comfort of your home and in little time!
When it comes to teeth whitening, it’s important to seek the opinion of a dentist. Whilst there are many over-the-counter teeth whitening options available, none are as safe or as effective as the professional whitening treatments provided by your dentist. What is more, not everyone makes a good candidate for teeth whitening. It’s essential to only undergo teeth whitening if your teeth and gums are in a good, healthy condition. Your dentist will be able to help you determine your suitability for teeth whitening.
At The Happy Tooth, we believe everybody deserves a smile they love and want to show off to the world. As part of our cosmetic dentistry services, we offer professional teeth whitening in the form of take-home kits. This method allows you the convenience of treating yourself from the comfort of your home, but with a professional dentist-grade product.
The Process for Professional Teeth Whitening Take-Home Kits
Your dental practitioner will assess your current oral health in a teeth whitening consultation. They will discuss with you how the take-home whitening kits work and take the time to answer any questions you may have. The next step is creating your take-home whitening. Your whitening trays are custom made to fit your teeth and gum line for the safest and best results. Your dentist will take a mould of your teeth from which your trays will be made.
When your professional whitening kit is ready for collection, your dentist will walk you through the process again and ensure you’re comfortable with it all. You’re then ready to begin your teeth whitening from the comfort of your home!
Your whitening trays will need to be filled with your provided whitening gel and worn over your teeth for a few hours each day over 10 – 14 days. Your dentist will let you know exactly how many hours per day you need to wear your whitening trays for.
How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?
Professional teeth whitening gel contains carbamide peroxide. This breaks down into tiny molecules (oxygen radicals) and migrates through your teeth, breaking down any coloured molecules that cause discolouration. Your whole tooth doesn’t need to be covered in the whitening gel for this to work.
Your tooth and any existing fillings or crowns are not impacted in any way by the whitening gel. Our dentists recommend, however, that you don’t undergo professional teeth whitening within two weeks of a dental filling appointment. This is due to the whitening gel possibly affecting bonding material.
How Long Does Professional Teeth Whitening Last?
Unfortunately, there is no one answer to this. It varies from patient to patient and depends heavily on your lifestyle and the types of foods and beverages you consume. There a few things that can make your professional teeth whitening results short-lived:
- Smoking and tobacco products
- Dark drinks like red wine, coffee and tea
- Staining foods
- Poor oral hygiene
You can extend the life of your professional teeth whitening by observing good oral health. It also pays to make use of the ‘top-up’ kits we have available for you.
Professional Teeth Whitening FAQs
Our friendly front desk team is more than happy to answer any questions you may have. For quick reference, here are the answers to some questions about teeth whitening that we get asked often:
How much whiter can I make my teeth with professional teeth whitening?
Professional teeth whitening results differ from patient to patient. Whilst everybody generally sees a significant change in the colour of their teeth, the exact amount of change can vary. You can expect to achieve a smile that is several shades lighter though. As mentioned before, professional teeth whitening products from the dentist will also produce the best results. Why? Because dentists are allowed to prescribe more powerful whitening solutions than supermarkets and pharmacies.
Are there any side-effects?
Tooth sensitivity is a common side effect of tooth whitening. If sensitivity occurs, it is usually transient and disappears after stopping your whitening treatment. Please tell us if you have tooth sensitivity and we can recommend products to help you relieve it.
