How long does teeth whitening last? Well, how long is a piece of floss? It depends…a bit of a wishy-washy answer sorry but it does depend on where and what form of teeth whitening you go for. It’s important to remember that any teeth whitening procedure is not permanent. If you choose at-home teeth whitening products the results may last but a few months, however, if you went for a professional dental procedure then it could last up to 3 years but it does vary from person to person.
Professional teeth whitening is a popular procedure because it’s pain-free, relatively low cost and results are fairly instant. It’s something that can instantly enhance your confidence, and give you a boost and because of that, it’s becoming a very popular procedure at dental clinics. The effectiveness and how long it lasts does have a few factors such as lifestyle habits and the type of whitener used. The treatment is designed to reduce the stains that are present on the teeth and not to remove them, we aren’t magicians.
The best, most effective long-lasting method of teeth whitening is one that’s guided by dental professionals, like Smile Stories. The treatment is guided by your current teeth and your lifestyle. Your dentist or hygienist will choose a solution to safely and gently brighten your teeth and guide you on how you make your teeth whitening result last.
It’s all down to individual choice and your own personal relationship with your teeth, but professional teeth whitening is surprisingly very affordable. Teeth discolour for many reasons including; what you eat and drink, smoking cigarettes (and vaping), age and hereditary factors, certain medications and trauma and infection can, unfortunately, cause teeth to turn yellow or grey. Basic dental hygiene can help keep teeth at their whitest, we’d hope you’d be doing the following daily: cleaning your teeth twice a day, brushing after a meal especially if its’ something that can stain teeth (glug glug, glug), chew sugar-free gum or rinse your mouth after eating or drinking things that stain.
Unfortunately, it’s all the good stuff that you should reduce if you are really serious about avoiding dark and stained teeth in the first place. Some of these are coffee, tea, red wine, tomato-based sauces, balsamic vinegar and curry to name but a few. If you do enjoy some or all of these then you’ll need to reduce the amount you consume and would need to brush, floss and rinse often after drinking/eating. We’ll be able to provide you with some great after-care literature to ensure you know how to reduce the risk of them darkening again.
So you’ve decided to go for the procedure, you’ve reduced your intake of all the good stuff, religiously brush your teeth after eating, is there anything to be aware of about the appointment before you go for it?
The active ingredient used in tooth whiteners can cause sensitivity in unhealthy teeth and gums. This is why it’s vital to see your dentist for this sort of procedure as they’ll give your teeth a full MOT before agreeing to proceed. They’ll look for any issues that could put a spanner in the works and inform you as to what treatments would be needed. This is important for the effectiveness of the procedure, as some issues if left untreated would hinder the success.
Well, it does depend on what method you decide to go for. Having it done by professionals such as ourselves you can hope to see results after only a few applications. We use stronger concentrations of the formula than you can get from over-the-counter kits or beauticians, so always expect to see lesser results if you do it yourself. It’s also best to point out not to bother with whitening toothpaste if you want white teeth, they rarely work and only do if they contain hydrogen peroxide which most don’t.
We unavoidably use our mouths all day, every day to eat and drink. If you whitened your teeth but have found another way to consume your food, then answer is that teeth whitening would last forever! But let’s be realistic, so the answer is that it depends on your habits.
You have two choices when trying to make your teeth whitening last.
Firstly, limit all the good stuff which will darken your teeth and live the life of a hermit. Your teeth will remain sparkling and the whiteness will last. A more sensible approach may be to professionally whiten your teeth, do what you like afterwards and simply top up your whitening with a single gel every 6 months to ensure your teeth stay bright. Tubes are cheap and you won’t need to see your dentist again.
Our advice, go show off your white teeth and just live your life.
If you’re looking for teeth whitening in Bournemouth then get in touch.