Teeth Whitening

Yes. Research and clinical studies indicate that whitening teeth with carbamide peroxide and/or hydrogen peroxide, under the supervision of a dentist, is safe for teeth and gums.

Teeth whitening at Temple Street Dental Practice starts at £390. You will need a consultation with the dentist to discuss the most suitable method for your teeth and the result you wish to achieve.

Teeth whitening can only lighten the existing colour of your natural teeth. It will not work on any types of ‘false’ teeth such as crowns, veneers or dentures. These may need replacing if they are stained or are the wrong colour. If you have white fillings, these will not change and may also need to be replaced to match your whitened teeth.

The effects of whitening normally last for many years, although this will vary from person to person. Inevitably with time the teeth will start to darken again due to drinks and food (and more rapidly if you are a smoker). Most people like to maintain their whitening effect by using the gel for one or two nights every three to six months.
Additional syringes of gel can be purchased from the practice.

To date,there has been no testing done on the effects of teeth whitening while pregnant or breast-feeding.To be cautious we recommend that you do not have your teeth whitened during pregnancy.

Most people find that their teeth become sensitive to cold during the treatment. This lessens after a few days, but you may find you need to have a break from whitening for a day or so or use a toothpaste such as “Sensodyne” to reduce the effect. If you have natural white flecks in your enamel these will become more apparent during treatment but will fade following treatment.

Whitening toothpastes do not affect the natural colour of your teeth. They may be effective at removing staining and may help maintain the effect of professional whitening. It can also be abrasive to your teeth, so we don’t recommend Whitening Toothpaste at Temple Street Dental.

Home kits are cheap, but are usually not very effective. Over-the counter kits sold in the UK are not recommended as they contain only a very small concentration of peroxide (the whitening agent).To be effective gels need to have at least 3.6%. Many home kits contain mild acids and/or abrasives. Acid or abrasives used on the teeth will ultimately make the teeth even yellower with time by damaging the enamel of your teeth.