I’ve always wanted to whiten my teeth but coudn’t really decide, whether it was safe or not! Most of the time the news is filled with stories of how a London dentist messed up a persons bleaching process so badly, that they couldn’t even talk due to the severe sensitivity. But there are a whole different range of teeth whitening products and it’s difficult to find out which one is the best one for you SO you opt for home bleaching or professional blenching done at a dentist? What about the numerous belching product readily available on the supermarket shelves? Are they effective and do they work? In this article let’s just discuss what happens after you bleach your teeth.Dental bleaching at the dentist-whitening your teeth can really brighten up your smile and your face too. If done properly the process is really painless and very effective. Most of the times getting a qualified dentist to do the procedure can result in a glowing smile of the right hue and tint to suit your face. You can try a chair side procedure or professional laser whitening which is done in a few minutes with instant results or you can try the home bleaching system. In the home bleaching system the doctor will give you a custom made teeth tray to be filled with a professional bleaching agent and worn for a set amount of time everyday.

Dental bleaching done at home with supermarket products-Although ingredients may be the same, most supermarket products are not properly calibrated for different tints of teeth. This can only be done by a dentist who can accurately judge the amount of time and strength of product required to whiten your teeth. Some supermarket products may cause extreme gingival sensitivity or even tooth discoloration due to the strength of the bleaching agent.

Teeth whitening targets to correct dental discolourations like brownish and yellowish stains to give you a glistening whiter set of teeth.There are several types of teeth whitening procedures employed by dentists to whiten your teeth. These include chemical teeth bleaching, and laser teeth whitening, which is the latest technique being used. And these whitening techniques are currently available in London as well. While these procedures are all effective, you have to weigh their associated pros and cons depending on your goals and your budget. It is advisable that you explore these options with your dentist so he can recommend what will work best for you.

The following are the common teeth whitening procedures currently done by London-based dentists.

Custom fit tray bleaching

This process involves application of custom fitted tray containing a small amount of bleaching gel over your teeth. You have to wear this tray briefly every day. As this is cheaper and easier than laser bleaching, more people prefer this type of teeth whitening.

Your dentist gets an impression of your teeth and oral cavity and makes a thin plastic tray for you to wear for an hour or two daily. If you have severely stained teeth, you may have this procedure on top of laser bleaching.

This teeth whitening technique works gradually and will require you to have two to four dental visits to attain desirable results. However you may also do this at home for 2 to 4 weeks and just have short dental appointments for progress monitoring by your dentist.

Laser teeth whitening

This technique involves the use of a laser together with a bleaching gel and is carried out in a dental surgery. Your dentist applies a translucent bleaching gel to your teeth. Then a special light is utilized to energize the crystals enabling them to penetrate your teeth enamel more efficiently. Thus, enhancing the gel’s brightening effect on your teeth.

This process usually takes two hours depending on the amount of discolouration. It normally takes just a single dental visit to achieve your desired whiter teeth. The effect can be immediately noticed. This can also be followed up with a home bleaching kit for a more desirable effect.

Our level of confidence to a certain extent depends on our looks, which in turn is correlated with success in life. We become conscious of our smile when there is any discoloration in our teeth, which is the commonest problem affecting the coffee/tea-loving, ordinary London citizen. Some of us have even tried and a few might have failed after using OTC kit, which is easily available. If you have a light discoloration or yellowness only, it is okay to give it a try. But if there is a stubborn, permanent stain from coffee or if you are under medications such as tetracycline, you are sure to fail. But no need to become hopeless. Here in London, there is another easier alternative, of course with a higher price tag available and that is laser bleaching. This is a noninvasive procedure and doesn’t take much time at your dentist’s clinic. You can walk-in and do the procedure and go with a flashing smile. The major advantage is the change it makes to the looks within no time and reduced or no risk of gum inflammation or irritation which is a common occurrence post whitening procedures. In laser whitening, the dentist applies a translucent whitening gel made of 15% hydrogen peroxide to the teeth to be whitened and then directs a laser beam towards the teeth; this activates the crystals that penetrate the enamel to initiate whitening. This system of whitening is the safest comparing to other procedures available. This does not cause any harm to dentine, pulp, gums, existing fillings, veneer, or bonds. As this procedure is painless, it is recommended to children and those with special needs too. But there can be slight sensitivity lasting for a few hours after the procedure. In general, the effect of the procedure lasts for 1 to 2 years. However, certain habits such as tea or coffee drinking, smoking etc. can bring back the discoloration. So, it is recommended to have regular dental checkups, proper brushing, and flossing to maintain the result.