At-home tooth whitening kits might sound like a great idea, but the reality is that these at-home bleaching kits don’t contain a high enough peroxide percentage to cause any lasting changes to your teeth. Over-the-counter whitening kits have not been made to fit your unique mouth shape, therefore there is a risk that the whitening agent will spill out during wear and cause burns on the gums, tongue, and inner mouth.

It’s always best to have whitening done by a professional – it’s safer for your oral health and will produce better results, saving you money in the long-term.

Beauty salons may offer teeth whitening services; however, it is rare that these services are performed by licensed dental professionals. Do your research to check that the person performing your whitening treatment is a licensed dentist by searching their qualifications on the GDC here.

It is illegal for anyone who isn’t a licensed dental practitioner to perform tooth whitening procedures. You should avoid beauty salons that offer whitening services unless you are sure they’re being performed by a trained dental professional. Our safe teeth whitening options are much better and will cost you less money in the long-term.

Sensitivity is a common side-effect of tooth whitening, but this usually goes away shortly after treatment. Sensitivity is usually mild and shouldn’t be painful. If you’re concerned about the levels of sensitivity you’re experiencing, see your dentist immediately – we’re always happy to help!

If you’re unhappy about the shade of your teeth, that’s a good indicator that your teeth need some whitening. Even if your teeth are already mostly white, if you have concerns about your smile, we will find a way to help.

If you’re thinking of whitening your smile, you may be concerned about your eligibility for tooth whitening. Some people can’t have their teeth whitened for a range of reasons. If you have severe gum disease, we will need to treat this before we can whiten your teeth. Another common reason for having difficulty whitening your teeth is Bruxism, or teeth grinding. There may also be other complications such as medical conditions or medications that may result in being ineligible for teeth whitening.

Tooth whitening will only work on natural teeth, as the enamel needs to “absorb” the bleaching agent. If you have crowns, veneers, composite bonding, or implants, tooth whitening will not work as these are man-made materials. Tooth whitening will still work on your natural teeth, however. It’s very common for people who have cosmetic work on their top teeth to also have their bottom teeth whitened as part of their treatment to bring their whole smile to the same natural white shade.

After spending money on a professional-grade teeth whitening procedure, you want to keep your smile bright. Thankfully, we have some tips to maintain bright white teeth.
Keep your teeth white by following the top-up instructions as provided by your dentist. You should also avoid staining your newly whitened teeth wherever possible by cutting back on coffee, wine, and cigarettes.

We know most people (us included) can’t survive without a morning brew, so if you must drink coffee after tooth whitening, use a straw to reduce the risk of staining.