Is tooth whitening treatment safe?

Question

Hi, does anyone have experience of tooth bleaching? Not the toothpaste but the proper method where you have to keep the bleach on for a few hours. I'm being offered the treatment for £200. Just wondering if it’s safe, and how long it lasts for….

Answer 1

I have bleached my teeth and for me it was a waste of money. My teeth are white, but I wanted them them a little whiter/brighter. I did not get the effect I wanted. The dentist told me to expect my teeth to become 5 shades whiter; I reckon they only whitened by one shade. If you are looking to whitening your teeth though, I suggest you go the bright-smile website. On there you can buy whitening stuff and have moulds made up so much cheaper. I suggest though that you get the moulds custom made - don't choose the option where you mould them yourself through a heating process. Bright smile is a brand of whitening treatment that is used by many dentists. My friend used this and like mine, her teeth whitened by a shade or two. I'm not saying it doesn't work but everyone reacts differently to whitening sloutions, some will get great results and some wont. It all depends on your natural tooth coulour. So don't automatically expect drastic results. Some people have slightly yellower teeth than other people. Like skin colour natural tooth colour comes in different shades. If you are looking to get white teeth like celebrities, your best bet is to get laser whitening. A lot more expensive, but more likely yo give you the results you may be wishing for.

My advice to you would be go for the home bleaching kit first(from the website I mentioned above) as you never know it may give you the results you want. If that fails then go for the laser whitening option.

Answer 2

Nice timing. Had a check up with the dentist yesterday and picked up a brochure for teeth whitening. The info says it's safe and takes about an hour in all. The price I was quoted was £400 (special offer - down from £600) so I don't know if the treatment you were offered is the same one. Have a look at the weblink below as I think that will answer all your questions and allow you to make up your own mind. Hope that helps. Cheers.

Answer 3

The bleaching that you get done in a dental office is safe, but it uses a large amount of whiting chemical on your teeth. There are 2 major drawbacks of professionally bleaching your teeth. Both of these problems can be easily fixed with the same solution. 1 is the possibility of sensitivity to the teeth, 2 a higher likelihood of getting dental carries (cavities). The sensitivity and increased cavity potential is caused by a reduction in the enamel. Mouth wash designed for children such as ACT is high in fluoride. Fluoride helps to build the enamel and maintain the enamel. At my office we recommend that all patients who are undergoing bleaching start using ACT 2 weeks before treatment and use ACT for 4 weeks after treatment. If the patient has a significant history of dental carries (cavities) we prescribe a toothpaste that is high in fluoride and sometimes a multivitamin.

Answer 4

I have had tooth whitening in the dentist chair and was given some bleach for home use. Yes it is safe providing you follow instructions and don't use it more than once in 6 months. Continous use can actually bleach away the enamel on your teeth and then they would never be white again. Try to avoid food with colourings n them like chinese, indian and sweets. Makes your teeth very sensitive though.

Answer 5

Tooth whitening is safe WHEN DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTIONS. This means for the length of time and frequency recommended by the dental professional bearing in mind the method of whitening and strength of the whitening material.

There is some evidence that misuse of whitening products can cause permanent damage. By misuse I mean using the products every day for extended periods for weeks at a time.

Answer 6

Teeth loose their whiteness due to age,
cavities and eatingfood like coffee,tea,
cola which stain the teeth.Tobacoo and
some antibiotics also cause stains.
Commercial tooth whiteners use hydrogen
peroxide and are expensive and inconvenient.
A cheap and natural tooth whitening home
remedy uses few strawberries but certain
precautions have to be taken.I found the
information at http://tinyurl.com/ep7yg

Answer 7

it depends on the brand of the bleaching gel, a good one to go for is Zoom lightening, it takes about 2 hours (or whatever the dentist recommends to you) and it is the gel painted on then a UV activates it (basically)
Opalescent is another one which dentists give to take home with you.

It all depends on how abrasive the gel is, if it is highly abrasive then it will be taking little bits of your enamel off the teeth, a bit like sandpaper.

Whitening toothpaste is a no-no, especially pearl drops or Beverly hills formula...they are highly abrasive.

The treatment in the dentist's chair is safe otherwise they wouldn't practice it or else it would ruin their reputation as dentists..

your gums may be a little sensitive but that wears off soon and just depends on how good shape your gums are in.

I would go for it! it wouldn't be so popular amongst dentists too if it was so unsafe.

Answer 8

your teeth will never be really white unless your dentine is white underneath,
when teeth are bleached it's the enamel that changes colour,
bleaching will last 6 months or so, but it does depend on what you eat or drink tht will help change the length of this treatment.
£200 is very cheap, i would check around other dentists too, and also see if they will give you the moulds, because that way all you will need next time is the bleach

Answer 9

that's a bit dear but keep the gel of your gums it can burn

Answer 10

crest whitening strips work great!