Teeth can become discoloured for several reasons, mainly; Age. Diet, Smoking, Trauma, Genetics, Infection, Medical History and Medications.

Some teeth will stain more easily than others and an individual’s teeth will also respond differently to teeth whitening procedures.  The type of stain and the method used to treat discoloured teeth will determine the result of any whitening treatment.

At-home whitening is the most cost-effective solution to whitening your teeth, however, the strength of the bleaching gel is not as powerful as the product dentists and dental professionals are licenced and trained to use.  Therefore, if you want to achieve maximum results and get the whitest teeth colour possible you are best to have your teeth whitening treatment completed by a dentist.

To maintain the whitest shade your teeth will naturally go when having teeth whitening done, it is suggested to have teeth whitening every 6 – 12 months.  The best way to keep your teeth at their brightest is to visit the dentist every six months for a professional clean and stain removal and follow this up with a few days of teeth whitening at home with a do-it-yourself teeth whitening kit. 

Patients can develop sensitivity ranging from a few hours of slight cold sensitivity to a 24 hour period of sharp ‘zinging’ pain shooting through individual teeth.  The level of teeth sensitivity and discomfort following teeth whitening treatments will depend on the health and condition of your teeth and gums, what percentage of teeth whitening bleach solution is used and the type of teeth whitening procedure you have.  Your oral health carers can recommend products that will help reduce sensitivity post teeth whitening to help manage any discomfort.  

Any sensitivity or discomfort should end within 24hours.  If symptoms continue please seek advice from a dental professional.

If you have areas of active diseases, such as decay (tooth rot), inflamed and bleeding gums, hypersensitive teeth, extensive dental treatment that won’t change colour under a teeth whitening procedure or are pregnant or under age, a dental professional might refuse to offer any sort of teeth whitening service as it will risk the health of your mouth and cause a current condition to become worse.

Unfortunately, the whitening gel will not change the colour of any teeth fillings, crowns or restorative work in the mouth.  It will only work on natural tooth structure.  Therefore, it is advised to have your teeth whitened prior to having any teeth fillings and work done so that any restorative treatments can be matched to the new white shade post-whitening.