The Ultimate Guide to Teeth Whitening

21 November 2022

Give the gift of fresh pearly whites this Christmas with our offers on teeth whitening! For everyone else who is not local to our home in Pateley Bridge practice, there’s no need to worry as we’ve put together the ultimate guide to teeth whitening.

The causes of stained teeth

Why your teeth are stained could be down to any one or combination of the following reasons, however it is also more common as you age. If you do any of the following, then teeth whitening would be a great option for you.

  • You consume sugary, alcoholic or sweet foods and drinks
  • You smoke
  • Your dental hygiene is absent, not consistent or needs some work
  • Ageing
  • Certain illnesses – this may be an indication you need to visit your GP or book a dental appointment
  • Certain medications
  • Trauma

Sadly, teeth whitening does not apply to dental restorations such as crowns, veneers or dentures but these can be replaced to match the shade of your newly whitened teeth. Two other factors to look out for is that the NHS labels teeth whitening as a cosmetic procedure, so if this affects you for health reasons then waste no time in contacting your dentist as this could be an indication of an infection. Secondly, whilst teeth whitening is offered by services such as beauty salons, this is illegal without the supervision of a dental care practitioner.

Why should I get my teeth whitened?

In short, you can regain confidence in your smile with whiter and brighter teeth. The reasons why you should get your teeth whitened are of course from a dental hygiene perspective, but for people who have had stained teeth for a long period of time it can be a catalyst for improving areas of your lifestyle. Additionally, teeth whitening can last from 3 months up to a few years if you maintain good dental hygiene!

We would always recommend teeth whitening from a dental care perspective and for your own personal wellbeing, but there are some other reasons we have heard from our patients. These include fear of judgement from loved ones, hurtful or inconsiderate comments from others, low self-esteem and confidence. However, there are many positive reasons why you should get your teeth whitened! Whiter and brighter teeth can improve your overall appearance, make you look more healthy and give you your confidence and motivation back.

So how do you whiten teeth?

We currently offer two available procedures to whiten your teeth. Teeth whitening takes a two-pronged approach to your dental hygiene. The first is removing stains on the outer layer, and below the enamel. Secondly, it can prevent the generation of new stains!

Most dentists offer the use of chemical and physical solutions. Teeth that are more deeply stained typically require more chemical solutions than abrasion. If this is the case below the enamel, the teeth will need to be bleached and you can often choose the shade of white you would like to be due to varying amounts of concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide.

Typically, a dentist will give you a home whitening kit. This first requires a trip to the dentist to have custom made moulds of your teeth taken so we can make the mouth trays. You would then be given chemicals to insert as a gel before putting the moulds on your teeth. Taking just two to three weeks, you apply this for a couple of hours a day. Some dentists may advise you to wear this for 8 hours a day which can shorten treatment time.

So what teeth whitening do we offer?

In short, we currently offer either a teeth whitening solution with the above approach. To help you have a white and brighter shine before Christmas and seeing your loved ones, we are currently reducing this from £375.00 to £350.00!

Alternatively, we offer an airflow treatment. This works by using water, compressed air and fine powder particles which are combined into a high power jet. Gently removing stains, this solution only takes 40 minutes to reduce stains and help your teeth look brighter and whiter. We have temporarily reduced the price of this from £150.00 to just £135.00!

Book your teeth whitening procedure today and start living life with a more confident smile by contacting us below.