Teeth Whitening
Have you noticed your teeth getting darker as you get older? Many things like cola, coffee and red wine can cause discolouration too. Teeth whitening is a safe, effective way to help your smile look younger and healthier. It can be used either as part of a smile makeover or on its own to give you a whiter, brighter smile.
Teeth whitening at Cashel Daisley
After teeth whitening, on average our patients show an improvement of five shades brighter. The process is very simple. The first thing we will do is examine you and make sure that you are a suitable candidate for whitening. We’ll also advise you on the best method for you.
You can opt for at-home whitening, where you are fitted with trays and supplied with gel to use either overnight or for half an hour in the morning and evening. This method usually takes 2-4 weeks.
If you want quicker results, in-surgery whitening is for you. Gel is applied and gets to work boosted by a UV light while you relax and watch a DVD. This can be combined with home whitening.
A: Whitening gels contain compounds which break down to form oxygen molecules. These molecules enter your teeth, bleaching discolouration to make your teeth naturally whiter. Whitening only works on natural teeth and won’t change the colour of veneers or crowns. This is why we recommend whitening as the first step on your journey to a perfect smile if you want to change the colour of your teeth.
A: Results vary from person to person, but we would expect your smile to be around five shades brighter than before whitening.
A: The first step is for us to assess you to make sure whitening is a suitable treatment for you. If there is a build-up of old tartar, this will have to be removed to let the whitening gel get to work. We’ll take impressions and make a bespoke whitening tray just for you, which will be ready a few days later. We’ll make sure it fits perfectly and give you instructions on how to use the gel and trays at home.
A: Home whitening takes 2-4 weeks. You can choose either to use a gel with a weaker concentration, which is used overnight, or a stronger gel, which is used for half an hour in the morning and evening. For some patients, an in-surgery power whitening session is useful to boost the effects of the gel.
A: Some people find that whitening makes their gums or teeth temporarily feel more sensitive. Using the weaker gel helps with this, and most patients find that using sensitive toothpaste solves the problem.
A: The effects can last up to three years, although this does vary from person to person. The results won’t last as long if you smoke or regularly consume food and drinks that stain your teeth, like red wine and cola. Good dental hygiene will also help the effects last longer.
A: If you feel your teeth are getting stained again, you can go back to using the gel for a few days as a top-up. To keep your teeth white we recommend using the whitening tray for maintenance once a month.
A: Yes. Only dentists (and dental professionals, like dental therapists and dental hygienists acting under a dentist’s prescription) can carry out tooth whitening. It is now illegal for places like beauty salons to carry out whitening if it is not administered by a trained dental professional.
A: Home whitening is safe as long as you are using a whitening tray that has been fitted by a dentist and gels provided by a dentist. The fit of the tray is crucial, as a poorly fitting tray can lead to the gel leaking and hurting your gums and mouth. The EU regulations on the strength of gel that can be used are strict and it is safest to use gel from a reliable source, so you know exactly what it contains. Some gels available online contain either too much or too little of the whitening compounds or the wrong materials.
I came to Cashel Daisley to have my teeth whitened because it had got to the point that I was so unhappy with my smile that I had no confidence speaking to people. The treatment was great and I had no discomfort at all. The results look great and I’ve got my confidence back
Ryan Glasgow
