What to know about getting your teeth professionally whitened
Beauty salons and dental clinics are open for now, but if there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s not to assume a maintenance of the status quo.
With this in mind, many of us are compiling a wishlist of beauty treatments and self-improvements we want to book in for, just in case the beauty and wellness industry might be forced to close its doors once again.
And honestly, there couldn’t be a better time to book in to get your teeth professionally whitened. Not only is the process, following a few in-person appointments, completed largely at home using whitening trays, but unlike over the counter at-home whitening products which are variable (and mostly very limited) in their efficacy, professional teeth whitening is a safe and effective to get the pearliest of whites.
But which dentist should you book with? And what should you know before you book?
We caught up with Dr Krystyna Wilczynski, Cosmetic Dentist at White & Co to get her advice on what to look out for when booking in with a dentist for teeth whitening, and what to expect from a good treatment.
What does professional teeth whitening involve?
Professional bleaching is the most usual method of tooth whitening. First they will take scans of your teeth which are then sent to a specialist registered laboratory. Custom made bespoke vacuum formed gel trays are then provided which you will fill with a carbamide peroxide gel. This active ingredient gets broken down by oxygen when it gets into the enamel and the colour of the teeth made lighter.
Is it safe to bleach my teeth at home?
It is safe to whiten your teeth at home, so long as the dental trays and gels have been provided by a dentist and not bought off the Internet. The trays need to be custom made by a dentist, by either digitally scanning or taking moulds of the teeth. These are sent to specific dental labs who create them. If people buy these trays off the Internet, it can often lead to disasters where they have bought illegal bleach that has caused permanent damage to teeth and gums e.g. recession.
My recommendation would be the combination of dental chair in-house bleaching and at home professional tray bleaching, which is the gold standard. The dental in-house bleaching is not sufficient as a stand-alone treatment due to it only bleaching the outside enamel. The home kits will take the bleach further and deeper into the teeth for longer lasting, even and better bleaching.
Are there certain qualifications a dentist should have to make trays?
In order to make the trays, they need to be fully dental qualified. Hygienists and dental therapists can also undertake teeth whitening if they have done extra training.
How many appointments should I need?
Your first appointment will consist of a consultation and clinical examination. If your mouth and teeth are healthy and acceptable to have teeth whitening, then we will go ahead with the digital scan of the teeth to create the bespoke whitening trays. These are designed to fit your teeth exactly.
Note: Some other dentists use another method to make impressions of the teeth. Rather than digital scans they might use a putty impression to take moulds of the teeth. The downside of this is that you are more likely to get air bubbles or drags in the putty, which makes it less accurate to digitally producing them.
Your second appointment will be with the hygienist to ensure your teeth and thoroughly cleaned.
For your third appointment, we will fit the whitening trays and explain exactly how to use them. You will then return for a fourth appointment for us to review 2-3 weeks after your home bleaching.
Which are the best whitening gels for dentists to use? Are there any to avoid?
I would recommend using Phillips Zoom or WhiteWash. Always avoid any brands that are not FDA approved and those that you can buy off the internet/ Instagram that have not been provided by dental professionals. These can either be damaging or not work at all!
Over the counter products can be inexpensive, however some of them can contain an acid rinse, which can damage the teeth or thin down the enamel, which is extremely harmful. There have been cases where patients have purchased a kit over the counter, bleached the teeth and they went darker. They continued overusing the treatment, however the acid rinse had actually worn the enamel away and the darker shade was the dentine that was exposed. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful!
It is also not advisable to bleach your teeth if you smoke. It is best to stop smoking for at least three weeks prior to commencing the bleaching procedure, as smoking causes the teeth to darken and the effects will be diminished.
What should I expect to pay? Is there a number that sounds too low to you?
Good tooth whitening treatments starts from around £250
How long should I need to wear them at home? Does this depend on the product using?
How long you should wear them depends on the amount of lightening that you desire and the original shade of the teeth. If your teeth are quite dark or very yellow/ grey/ tetracycline stained, it will take longer to bleach the teeth. If you are not experiencing any sensitivity you may wear the trays for at least one to two hours - you can even sleep with the trays in your mouth. It is very important to remove all the excess material around the gums or the palate prior to sleeping with the trays. The darker your teeth, the longer your teeth will take to get lighter. Tetracycline stained teeth can take six months or up to one year to bleach. Some teeth can whiten after one month. If you cannot wear the trays for a day because of your schedule, it does not matter. Bleach your teeth according to your schedule. Some people put the trays in after dinner and wear them for the first hour while watching TV etc then, if everything is fine, replenish the trays and sleep with them in the mouth.
What do I do if I have any sensitivity?
Sensitivity of teeth is the most common side effect of home bleaching. In fact, many patients suffer from sensitive teeth any way. This occurs usually around the necks of the teeth where the gums have receded. If you are experiencing any sensitivity you should stop bleaching your teeth for a few days. You can resume after about 2 to 3 days. If the teeth become ultra-sensitive, you can place desensitizing toothpaste in the bleaching tray for an hour a day. That will usually stop the sensitivity. Alternatively, you can rub the desensitizing toothpaste into the gum margins with your finger 5 times per day for a few days. If you are at all concerned, please call your dentist
How long should the results last?
This is dependent on the individual and how well they whitened on the initial course. For optimum results, it is recommended to wear whitening trays every day or night for at least 2-3 weeks (depending how dark the teeth are initially). This will ensure the bleach has reached all areas and depths of the teeth. If you spend time bleaching the inside of the teeth, this will last longer.
It also depends on the persons dietary and smoking habits. To maintain results, it is recommended to reduce coffee/ tea/ red wine intake and have regular hygienist visits. Also keep on top of excellent home oral hygienist care- for example, use an electric tooth brush instead of manual.
To maintain your white smile, you can also use a course of WhiteWash Professional Teeth Whitening Strips every 6-12 months, or use 1-2 strips on a monthly basis.
Some patients do a top up treatment after three to four years. The top up interval varies between each patient.
What happens if the teeth do not bleach evenly?
If the teeth have white spots on them before bleaching, these spots will appear whiter during the first few days. The contrast between the spots and the rest of the tooth will lessen and eventually the spots will not be noticeable. Sometimes the dentist can do a special procedure called microabrasion for you to permanently remove the white spots. Ask your dentist about the procedure if you are concerned about this.
You may notice new white spots occurring on the teeth while you are undertaking the bleaching treatment. These white spots were already present on the teeth before bleaching. As the teeth become lighter they become more visible. Do not worry. As the whole tooth itself becomes lighter these spots will fade. You may notice these white spots immediately after a bleaching session or in the morning if you have been wearing the trays for the whole night. Some teeth may appear banded with lighter/ whiter areas. Any banding that becomes visible will have been present previously but may not have been noticeable on darker teeth. As the tooth becomes lighter, the lighter parts of the tooth will lighten first followed by the darker banded area. After a week or so these will not be noticeable any more.
Can I reuse my trays with a different dentist/ product?
Yes! The trays are custom made and bespoke to your teeth, so as long as they are kept well and looked after, they can be used repeatedly!
How will my teeth feel after?
Normally the teeth feel very clean after the bleaching procedure due to the amount of oxygen inside the teeth. The bleaching materials also have an indirect effect on the gums in helping them to heal or improving the health of the gums. This is how the technique was invented as it was first used to heal gum irritation during orthodontic treatment.
Home Whitening Patient Instructions
Before bed:
- Just before sleep, take 2 Ibuprofen tablets (provided you are not allergic or Ibuprofen is unsuitable for you. Ask your GP if unsure). If you are in the habit of reading or watching television before you sleep then do not start the trays until you are ready to sleep
- Brush your teeth thoroughly for two minutes with normal toothpaste.
- Prepare your tray by placing a little whitening gel into each of the reservoirs.
- Place the tray in the mouth and ensure that it is well seated.
- Remove excess bleaching material with a cotton wool roll or tissue.
- Do not swallow any excess material.
- Dab the teeth dry on the front and back with a tissue, if necessary.
On waking:
- Take the trays out and rinse the mouth with water.
- Brush with normal toothpaste.
- Clean the trays in cool water.
- Leave in open box to air during the day.
- Ensure that the trays don't distort. Store them carefully.
White & Co have locations around London, with a new clinic set to open in Battersea Power Station in November 2020.
