Teeth Whitening

Over time, our teeth can become stained from our daily habits such as smoking, eating, drinking (coffee, tea, and red wine) as well as poor oral hygiene - this makes our smile look dull and generally unappealing. With teeth whitening, the aim is to remove stains and debris which will in turn leave the enamel looking far healthier and brighter resulting in a more youthful smile.

​

Some patients often prefer professional teeth whitening, or in-office teeth whitening, because it delivers optimum results in a relatively shorter amount of time than the take-home teething whitening products.

​

What to expect from an in-office teeth whitening procedure

• Generally speaking, in-office teeth whitening is not a complicated procedure but it does require a level of skill and care from the oral hygienist to avoid any injury to your gum area.

• On average, the procedure takes anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes to complete and the standard steps may be as follows:

• Before starting your procedure, your oral hygienist will make a record of your teeth’s current shade i.e photograph.

• To remove any plaque from the surface of your teeth, they will be polished.

• To prevent your lips and tongue from removing any of the whitening solutions, retractors might be used and may have to keep some gauze in your mouth to keep your teeth dry.

• Next, a barrier will be placed on your gum area to prevent any exposure to the whitening solution.

• The front surface of your teeth will now be coated with the solution. Teeth whitening solutions are either made with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide as the bleaching agent. Some whitening solutions require a curing light to activate the peroxide.

• Once the solution has been applied, it will be left on for about 30 to 60 minutes. Once the maximum time has passed or the optimum shade has been achieved, you will rinse your teeth. Your oral hygienist might apply some fluoride to your teeth to ease any sensitivity, which is a common side effect.

​

What should be avoided after a teeth-whitening procedure?

​

Once you have completed your in-office treatment, your oral hygienist will advise you to avoid these high-pigmented foods or beverages for at least 24 hours:

• Coffee

• Tea

• Tomato-based products

• Yellow mustard

• Beetroot

• Black grapes

• Sweets

• Red wine

Smoking should also be avoided.