Is Teeth Whitening really safe?

Teeth Whitening is the cheapest and quickest way to brighten your smile. The system works by lightening the discolouration of the enamel and dentine. There are two types of Teeth Whitening available at Perfect Smile Spa– Home Whitening and Chairside Zoom Whitening.

Home Whitening

Impressions of your mouth are taken to produce custom-made trays. We supply you with the whitening gels and instructions, and you carry out the treatment at home for an hour a day for 14 days. This system promises at least an 8 shade improvement in the colour of your teeth, with some patients achieving a 20-30 shade improvement!

Chairside Zoom Whitening

This procedure is carried out in the studio and takes approximately 90 minutes to complete. We place a retractor in your mouth to keep the teeth visible for treatment and place a dressing around the gums to protect them from the laser. A gel is placed onto the teeth with an accelerant and then the laser placed directly above the teeth. The gel is then reapplied 4 times at 15 minute intervals. The results are instant. We recommend to our patients to have the Home Whitening system with this as sometimes the colour can dull down a shade or two a few days after treatment. Having the Home Whitening system too means you can top up the colour as and when you feel.

Is the treatment safe?

Teeth Whitening is a completely safe procedure providing the treatment is carried out by a dental professional. Before having the treatment in a dental practice a dentist will assess your mouth and teeth to make sure everything is healthy to have the treatment. If the dentist feels you are not a suitable candidate for Teeth Whitening they will tell you and advise accordingly. If you decide to have treatment at a beauty salon or in a whitening booth located in shopping centres they are unable to examine your mouth as they are not qualified. Treatment would be carried out regardless of your mouth being healthy or not. This is where problems can start. As a result of this, it is now illegal for beauty salons or booths to carry out Whitening treatment but unfortunately some still do.

As a dental practice we regularly see patients who have had treatment carried out at these places. Many are suffering from extreme sensitivity and even burnt gums! These are problems we can fix but they are totally avoidable.

How does the system work?

The gel used for both Home and Chairside Whitening is the same except an accelerator is applied chairside. When applied to the surfaces of the teeth the gel releases oxygen. As the oxygen enters the enamel and dentine, it erases the discolouration which brightens the teeth. The teeth colour is made lighter whilst the structure remains   unchanged.

The system we use is completely safe. Extensive research and studies show that the oxygen releasing gel we use is safe for teeth and gums providing it is used under supervision. It has no effect on the tooth structure, enamel and fillings.

There are no adverse side effects to this treatment although on rare occasions some patients do experience some sensitivity during the treatment. You will be given a sensitive toothpaste to use during the treatment process. You can expect the sensitivity to disappear once treatment has been completed.

How long does it last?

How long the teeth stay white depends on your diet – whether you drink a lot of tea, coffee or red wine. Smoking also plays a big factor in the colour of your teeth. Having an excess of food or drink which are likely to cause staining will gradually start to discolour and stain your teeth. Because of this is it is difficult to say when you would need to top up the colour but we suggest whitening your teeth for an hour a day for 2-3 days every 3 months. Teeth Whitening will not remove surface staining from the teeth; it will only remove stains from within the teeth. Therefore hygiene treatment may be necessary to remove the staining.

Are shop bought Whitening systems safe?

There is no supervision when using shop bought systems so the results can be unpredictable. These shop bought products do not have as much research and studies done on them as much as whitening gels available from a dentist.

Are whitening toothpastes as effective?

Whitening toothpastes usually contains small amounts of abrasive minerals such as pumice. Combined with harsh brushing the abrasive removes surface staining on the teeth making them appear brighter. There is not enough whitening material such as carbamide peroxide in the tooth paste to effectively whiten your teeth.

About us

Perfect Smile Spa is a cosmetic dentistry clinic that has performed thousands of successful teeth whitening treatments. We are located in the High Street in Hornchurch, Essex and are easily accessible by all forms of transport. No matter your concerns we can help you. With our vast array of treatments available there is always something we can do that will improve your smile and quite possibly change your life!

This post is by Dr Jas Sagoo who is the principle dentist in Essex at Perfect Smile Spa.Is Teeth Whitening really safe? was last modified: July 2nd, 2018 by Dr Jas Sagoo