Opening any glossy magazine, you will notice that most celebrities will be showing off their sparkling smile. I bet you that most of them have had their teeth professionally whitened by their dentist.
Teeth whitening is a process where your teeth are bleached to give them a lighter shade.
Teeth whitening is a form of dentistry and should only be carried out by a dentist or another regulated dental professional, such as a dental hygienist or dental therapist, on the prescription of a dentist. In fact, it is illegal for anyone other than dentists and their team to carry out teeth whitening. Anyone else offering teeth whitening won’t have the right training and knowledge, could permanently damage your teeth and gums and cannot help you when something goes wrong
If carried out by a trained dental professional whitening is perfectly safe. Based on their knowledge of your oral health your dentist will discuss with you the options available, decide if tooth whitening is appropriate for you and develop an overall treatment plan that gives the desired result.
Whitening won’t remove the surface of your teeth or change their shape. It is often a better option than alternatives. Veneers and crowns will involve removing some tooth structure.
Your dentist is trained to know which whitening products is safe for your teeth and gums. Your dentist will only use safe products that have been tested and have enough safe data and evidence to support their use in whitening your teeth.
Using inappropriate products can have an adverse effect on your teeth and gums.
A carefully controlled concentration of whitening product is applied to your teeth using a specially made trays that will fit your teeth. Your dentist can discuss the level of whitening that you want and give you an idea of how many treatments you may need to achieve the shade you are after.
You may experience some sensitivity for a short time during treatment. This is normal and will soon fade after completion.