Why You Need Professional Whitening

We know it’s tempting to buy off-the-shelf or off-the-internet teeth whitening kits but they can be harmful. Teeth whitening may not be an invasive treatment in that it doesn’t involve altering the structure of your teeth or cutting into your flesh or bone, but it still needs to be treated with respect.

When you come to us at Smile Stories for teeth whitening in Bournemouth, we take the time to make sure the gel trays that you receive are custom-made for your teeth. By ensuring that the gel trays hug your teeth, we also ensure maximum contact between the whitening gel and your tooth enamel. Badly-fitting trays can lead to the gel seeping out over the top and landing on your mouth’s soft tissue, possibly causing irritation or damage.

It’s always important to treat chemicals with respect and this goes for whitening gel as much as, say, hair dye. Only this stuff you are putting into your mouth.

What is a whitening gel made of?

The active ingredient in teeth whitening gel is hydrogen peroxide. It has been tested for safety and effectiveness. It’s a wonderful wound cleaner and disinfectant, and has been used as such since it was first discovered in the 1800s. It’s also been the active ingredient in hair bleach for a long time.

How do I whiten my teeth?

When you come to us for teeth whitening Bournemouth, we first take impressions of your teeth and use this to make your gel trays. You take them home, along with a supply of whitening gel. You put some in the gel trays (we’ll show you how) and wear them for a few hours each day for two to three weeks, depending on your level of staining, to see results.

Now that you own your gel trays, you can repeat this for a day or two every three to four months to keep your whitening topped up. Make your teeth whitening treatment last as long as possible by avoiding tea, coffee, red wine, and other staining foods such as blueberries. Cutting back or quitting smoking will also help.

Author

Dr Gareth Edwards BDS (Hons) MFDS RCPS (Glasg) qualified from university with honours. Working in the Bournemouth & Poole area, he’s passionate about orthodontics, and minimally invasive dentistry and is a certified Invisalign provider.