Teeth Whitening London

Airpolish is an effective way to remove the external staining on your teeth as a result of your diet and lifestyle habits. Removal of external staining on enamel will bring back the tooth’s natural shade but does not alter the shade of the enamel. 

Professional teeth whitening will change the colour of the enamel layer of teeth, resulting in a whiter brighter smile.

During whitening treatment, your teeth are more porous and therefore more susceptible to staining. For this reason, to achieve the best possible whitening results, we would advise to cut down or eliminate smoking, dark staining drinks like red wine, coffee, tea and fizzy drinks. Also avoid dark staining foods containing tomato sauces, soy sauce, chocolate and dark marinades.

Note that following the above advice after completing teeth whitening will prolong the whitening effect on your teeth.

There is no specific time limit with regard to bleaching your teeth. Most patients are happy with whitening results after 2-3 weeks of use. This process can be safely repeated after a few months.

In very resistant circumstances, bleaching would need to be carried out for several months before the desired result is achieved. In such scenarios, we would advise close monitoring of treatment with your dentist. 

The first thing to do is to contact the dental practice and discuss your results with a dental professional. The solution could be as simple as changing the whitening gel or other options can be discussed with your dentist to give you your desired result. someone

Length of treatment varies from person to person. Almost all patients will get whiter teeth, however, some take longer than others depending on their start shade and type of staining. The type of staining that responds best to whitening treatment are staining caused by foods/drinks, tetracycline medication staining, tobacco and non-vital teeth.

Duration of treatment is also dependent on the shade of tooth colour you would like to achieve, as a whiter shade will take longer to achieve.
Most of our patient will whiten their teeth for a period of 2 to 3 weeks to achieve their desired tooth colour.

It is very normal to experience some tooth sensitivity during treatment. This is usually mild and temporary. After completing treatment, these effects will fade away.

If the whitening causes significant discomfort and sensitivity, reduce the wear time or carry out treatment every other day. Please note when you reduce your wear time, it will normally take longer for you to achieve the desired whitening effect.   

The gel should be stored in a cool dry place like a fridge. Avoid leaving in warm places and under direct sunlight. Do not freeze.

Teeth whitening is suitable for the large majority of patients. Below are scenarios where teeth whitening may not be suitable.

• In the UK you have to be 18 or over to have your teeth whitened.
• Although there is no evidence to indicate any potential risk, as a precaution, it is advisable that pregnant and breastfeeding woman avoid teeth whitening treatments.
• If your teeth are highly susceptible to cold sensitivity, it is strongly recommended that you seek professional dental advice regarding suitability for whitening treatment.
• Patients who have dental cavities and gum disease should seek treatment for those conditions before considering teeth whitening.
• Bleaching only whitens tooth enamel and does not change the colour of existing white fillings, crowns and implants. Therefore, if you have such restorations that are visible when you smile, teeth whitening may not be suitable. Your dentist will be able to advise you further.

• Intake of tobacco, whether through cigarettes, roll ups or hookah
• Dark coloured drinks such as red wine, black coffee/tea and soy sauce.
• Dark coloured and stain prone foods such as beetroot, chocolate, tomato sauces, and spices such as turmeric.
• Prolonged use of chlorhexidine mouthwash
• Certain antibiotics such as tetracycline if taken under the age of 12

The outer layer of our teeth is made up of enamel. The enamel layer is porous, meaning it has tiny holes in its structure. These holes let stains from foods, drinks and smoke to work their way into the tooth. This isn’t necessarily harmful to the tooth but will result in the tooth having a darker shade. 

Brushing your teeth with whitening toothpaste will not whiten your teeth as it cannot penetrate the enamel layer of the tooth.

Teeth whitening should always be carried out under the supervision of a dental professional. When conducted properly, it is a very safe procedure with predictable results. During treatment, your teeth can become temporarily sensitive to hot and cold. The Zoom whitening gel has potassium nitrate integrated into the gel to reduce sensitivity during treatment. Potassium nitrate is the same ingredient used in many desensitising toothpastes. 

Here is our quick guide, follow these steps for safe and effective teeth whitening.

• Avoid prolonged use of highly abrasive whitening toothpaste
• Seek professional dental advise before commencing with treatment
• Carry out treatment under the supervision of a GDC registered dental professional
• Only use whitening trays that are custom made for your teeth
• Don’t use cheap whitening gels available online, it’s not worth the risk!

There are two main active ingredients used to whiten your teeth. These are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide.

The Zoom DayWhite kit uses hydrogen peroxide. The Zoom NiteWhite kit uses carbamide peroxide.

The Zoom DayWhite uses either 6% or 9.5% hydrogen peroxide as its active whitening ingredient. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down faster than carbamide peroxide and releases most of its whitening power within the first hour of use. It is designed for people who want to get results with a minimum wear time of the whitening trays.

The Zoom NiteWhite uses 10% or 16% carbamide peroxide as its active whitening ingredient. Carbamide peroxide breaks down slowly into hydrogen peroxide, therefore releasing its whitening power over a longer period of time. Its designed for people who want great teeth whitening results without the inconvenience of wearing trays during the day. This is most suited for patients who prefer to wear teeth whitening trays overnight.

Given that there is a lot of knowledge and training that is required to provide safe and effective teeth whitening, the UK has made it illegal for anyone other than GDC registered dental professionals to provide teeth whitening treatments.