Table of Contents
What is Teeth Whitening
At Dental Healthcare Practice, we have more than 20 years of experience in teeth whitening procedures. Fully trained in the safest and most effective methods on the market, our treatments will ensure you get the results you are after.
Tooth whitening is now widely employed as one of the most effective ways to enhance the appearance of your teeth, provided you use a process suitable for you and your teeth.
Dr Mark Setters BDS has been conducting teeth whitening procedures since they were first introduced in the UK in 1994. Highly experienced in traditional and cosmetic dentistry, including all the latest teeth whitening processes, he is committed to the highest quality service and the best standards of care. All our treatments come with a guarantee.
Teeth whitening treatments
Tooth whitening is a safe and effective way to lighten the natural colour of your teeth; it does not involve removing any of the tooth surfaces. There are several ways to carry out teeth whitening. These include treatments carried out at the dental surgery and teeth whitening kits to be used at home.
Our dental practitioners have many years of experience with all types of teeth whitening procedures at Dental Healthcare Practice. Why pop in for a consultation and recommendation for the best treatment for you?
Home teeth whitening
Home teeth whitening treatments use a custom-made lightweight plastic mouth tray or thin mouth guard that fits snugly over your teeth. You place a whitening gel inside the tray and, following our teeth whitening instructions exactly, wear the tray either for a few hours during the day or overnight.
The chemical tooth whitening agent will gently and gradually lighten your teeth safely and predictably. Results will start to become visible after 2 or 3 days. The desired outcome will be achieved after 1 – 2 weeks, with teeth appearing whiter and brighter.
It’s a tried and tested system we’ve used successfully for nearly 20 years.
Please remember that the gels available over the counter do not have the strength to whiten your teeth predictably.
Laser whitening or power whitening
We no longer recommend this system as recent UK regulations have limited the peroxide concentration, making it less effective than our home whitening.
Our dentist-prescribed home whitening was consistently more effective than any laser/ power system, proven by scientific studies and 24 years of experience using all the techniques.
How safe is tooth whitening?
Teeth whitening procedures are entirely safe when done by a dentist in a professional practice setting; this ensures that the chemicals and processes used are appropriate for your mouth. A thorough dental consultation and examination is the basis for successful and safe teeth whitening.
However, tooth whitening could harm your teeth in the wrong hands or be used by untrained staff.
After teeth whitening treatment, some people may experience temporary sensitivity, particularly when consuming hot or cold food or drink; this usually disappears after 48 hours. If you have tooth sensitivity problems after treatment, we advise you to wear the mouth tray for shorter periods and switch to toothpaste for sensitive teeth for the time being. Sometimes, stopping the whitening process for a few days is a good idea to allow your teeth to adapt.
There are certain circumstances under which our dentist may discourage teeth whitening. They include
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding;
- Gum disease, worn enamel, cavities or susceptible teeth;
- Tooth-coloured crowns, veneers, implants or other dental work on your front teeth that will not respond to lightning treatment.
For further information about our dental services or to book a consultation with Dental Healthcare Practice for teeth whitening in Horsham or Sussex, don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange an appointment.
A Professional Teeth Whitening Guide
- Clean your teeth thoroughly before each use, including floss or specialist brushes. Rinse any toothpaste away.
- Try not to waste the gel. Fill the supplied bleaching trays with a small amount of the whitening agent. Care must be taken not to overfill the tray, as this will be forced out over your gums when inserted. Using approximately half a tube or less for each bleaching tray per night.
- Excess material should be removed from the gums with a tissue, cotton wool or a dry toothbrush after insertion of the trays.
- The filled trays are usually worn overnight. It would help if you did not eat, drink or smoke whilst wearing the trays. The whitening process works at different rates for each individual, but most patients report a noticeable effect after just four treatments. A sufficient gel is given for the initial process to work.
- Rinse your mouth with lots of lukewarm water to remove any remaining gel when the trays are removed. Wash the tray with cold water and dry thoroughly with tissues before storage.
- Sensitivity is a normal feature of the whitening process. It usually only lasts for a few days after the whitening period. Due to this sensitivity, you may wear the trays every other day or less to gradually change your appearance.
- Stop using the trays and gel when you are happy with the colour. Remember that the natural colour of teeth is never pure white. The whitening gel will lighten your teeth but not necessarily remove all internal stains; the teeth may never achieve a harmonious colour in these circumstances. The gel will not lighten crowns, veneers, fillings or root surfaces.
- It is not necessary to lighten the back or molar teeth.
- If sensitivity is intense, the trays can be filled with sensitive toothpaste (such as Sensodyne) and worn for a few hours.
- Try to avoid for one month after whitening: smoking, strong coloured foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, berries, curries etc. This will improve the long term result of the whitening.
- If the gel comes into contact with the skin, wash it with soap and water. Drink large amounts of water or milk if you swallow a lot of gel. Refrigerate for prolonged storage and keep out of reach of children.
- In rare cases, an allergic reaction to the gel may occur. You will have widespread swelling of the mouth and some discomfort. Discontinue use and contact your dentist.
If you need any advice or support or want to talk to a dentist about teeth whitening, call us today on 01403 259717.
