When a person wants their teeth to be lighter in colour, they will often choose to have tooth whitening treatment. Many people will also have their teeth whitened if they have staining on their teeth or if their teeth have become yellow over time. There are many different whitening procedures available, which your dentist will discuss with you.
So, if you are thinking of having tooth whitening, you should be aware of these 5 things.
You can’t whiten restorations.
This means you can’t whiten crowns, dentures, or fillings – therefore be conscious of this before booking a tooth whitening treatment. Tooth whitening is only for your natural teeth.
It’s illegal for anyone else other than registered dental professionals to carry out whitening procedures.
A dental professional is any dentist or dental practitioner who is registered with the General Dental Council. Therefore it is important you are mindful of who is undertaking your procedure and what their certifications are, before going ahead with the treatment.
You will have a personalised dental consultation before having your treatment.
This is where the dentist will discuss what options are best for you, for your level of staining/discoloration of the teeth. These appointments will also talk through your treatment time and what your procedure will look like.
Tooth whitening is very subjective to each person.
There is no set time for how long the whitening will last for everyone. It varies depending upon each individual’s treatment length, how much staining is on their teeth and whether they’re a person who drinks lots of coffee, tea and red wine, as well as smoke. This is because all of these can have an impact on the duration of your whitening.
You may experience some discomfort after the tooth whitening procedure.
Despite the fact tooth whitening doesn’t hurt, it is normal to have some sensitivity during or after the treatment. If this is the case, a dentist will recommend a specific toothpaste and/or other products to help. However, it is normal for this sensitivity to settle down after a couple of days so it shouldn’t be continuous. If it is, you should contact your dentist.
Read more about tooth whitening here.
