The Complete Guide to Teeth Whitening, What You Should Know Before You Bleach Your Smile
Why do People Want White Teeth?
Teeth whitening involves bleaching your teeth to make them lighter. It can’t complete your teeth brilliant white, but it can lighten the existing colour by several shades.
Teeth whitening positively impact patients and their self-esteem, and oral hygiene is boosted. Oral health should be a component of any dental procedure, as it’s of the utmost importance to your broader health. Poor mouth health can lead to a slew of problems later in life.
What is the procedure like?
The mouth has to be healthy and free from disease before any cosmetic treatment or whitening is undertaken. Thus, a thorough dental examination will take place first.
Following this, we will first take an impression/mould of your teeth. The impressions are used to create your bespoke whitening trays. Once the trays are ready, we will check their fit and demonstrate how to apply the whitening gel. We will also provide some necessary home care instructions to explain how to use your home whitening kit to achieve the best results.
Some people desire a faster result, so they opt for the in-office laser whitening option. It takes about one hour of your time in the dentist’s chair to lighten your teeth up to three shades. You will get a complimentary take-home whitening kit with custom-made trays. For best long-term results, we recommend you follow up with the at-home whitening routine.
How Much Does Tooth Whitening Cost, and is it Expensive?
So, how much are teeth whitening in the UK? Teeth whitening costs in the UK vary mainly depending on the dentist practice you are visiting and the desired dental outcome.
Teeth whitening does not need to cost you an arm and a leg; it can be done at home while working or doing chores.
The Lumiwhite home whitening kit costs £345, which includes 5 syringes of whitening solution; it will also contain a case for your whitening retainers which protect them from collecting dust. The kit can only be issued to a patient once they have attended an examination and the dentist has deemed the mouth healthy.
What are the Risks Associated with Tooth Bleaching, and How to we Minimise Them?
The whitening gel we use has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment. It does not damage or weaken the enamel of teeth.
Some patients may experience a temporary increase in teeth sensitivity. Should it occur, we suggest stopping the whitening process for 1 -2, resting your teeth rest, and then continuing the cycle.
Gum irritation may also occur, especially if you have gingivitis and bleeding gums. For this reason, we recommend a thorough tooth and gum cleaning before commencing the whitening process. This also helps to remove any stains from your teeth and thus makes the whitening more effective.
Whitening will change the colour of your teeth but will not change the colour of your fillings. For this reason, after your teeth have been satisfactorily whitened, it may be necessary to replace some old fillings to match the colour of your teeth better.
Severe tetracycline stains may not improve enough, and an alternative treatment procedure, such as porcelain veneers, may be required. Grey or bluish teeth and striated or patchy teeth are more difficult to whiten.
We advise that you DO NOT share your home whitening kit with friends, family or anyone. This is because of the risks associated with this treatment and the fact that it could cause more harm than good to the other person if a Dental Professional has not approved them to undergo it.
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? Tip: In addition to excellent oral hygiene, we also recommend avoiding the following if you want to prevent any damaging stains:
- Tea and coffee
- Red wine and sugary soft drinks
- Tomato-based sauces
- Smoking
