If your teeth have suffered a gradual loss in their whiteness and sheen, or if you are simply unhappy with the colour and shade of your smile, then tooth whitening is likely the right choice for you. This treatment is particularly safe and effective, so it is likely that you will be suitable for it, but the only way to make sure is to arrange a consultation with our dentist who can assess your teeth and your goals and tell you how best to achieve them.

Sometimes a whitening treatment can leave your teeth more sensitive, but rest assured that this side effect is most often a temporary one which will resolve upon the end of your treatment (so typically at the end of the 2-week period typical of the treatment). With this in mind, many tooth whitening agents are made with ingredients like fluoride and potassium nitrate which desensitise your teeth and improve the comfort of the treatment.

Fortunately tooth whitening is quite a long-lasting treatment because of how the whitening process works. By targeting the molecules within your teeth which confer a darker colour, your teeth are provided with a long lasting whiteness which will at most need the occasional touch up.

It is difficult to say exactly how long the treatment will last as there are many factors which can affect your teeth, these include your age, genes, certain medications, diet, and the consumption of food and drink which discolour teeth. By avoiding drinks such as red wine and black coffee, and bad habits like smoking, you can preserve your whiter smile for much longer.

Tooth whitening agents target the elements of your teeth which have become discoloured over time. Discolouration occurs as your teeth gradually accumulate molecules which confer the darker colour, and by breaking these down the natural shine of your teeth will be restored.

Two of the key ingredients contained within tooth whitening agents are fluoride and potassium nitrate, these are components which not only reduce the sensitivity, a common side effect of tooth whitening, but also strengthen enamel and reduce tooth decay.