A bright, confident smile can leave a lasting impression, and teeth whitening has become one of the most sought-after and common ways to enhance that smile. Over time, everyday habits like drinking coffee, tea, or red wine, as well as natural aging, can cause teeth to lose their natural brightness. But don’t worry—teeth whitening is a quick, safe, and effective solution to restore that radiant, healthy look.
Whether you’re preparing for a big event, want to boost your self-esteem, or simply desire a fresher appearance, whitening your teeth can make a noticeable difference. Beyond the cosmetic benefits, a brighter smile often encourages better oral hygiene habits and can even help you feel more confident in social and professional settings – which is great for body and mind!
In this blog, I’ll guide you through everything you need to know about teeth whitening, from the different options available to what you can expect from the process, so let’s explore how you can achieve the smile you’ve always wanted!
What are the tooth whitening options available?
Whilst it is easy to find whitening toothpastes or home whitening products advertised online or on social media, it is worth keeping in mind that only dentists are legally allowed to do professional teeth whitening treatments, as they are something that require both training and a prescription. Anything else that you buy is not legally allowed to contain the same (and necessary) active ingredients to whiten your teeth effectively.
You should avoid any whitening treatment offered by beauticians or high street beauty salons as this is illegal (unless being done by a GDC registered Dentist or Hygienist under prescription from a Dentist), and therefore it means that the person doing it will not have the correct qualifications, training or indemnity – putting your oral health at risk. Whitening toothpastes can be great to remove surface staining, but whitening isn’t about the surfaces, it is about the composition of the tooth. Think of it like washing a dirty car – a dental hygiene appointment cleans the surfaces of the tooth (like a car wash would clean the dirt from the outside of the car), but it doesn’t fundamentally change the colour of the teeth (like a car wash doesn’t change the colour of the car – under the dirt the car will be the same colour and same level of brightness!).
There are two main types of professional tooth whitening – ‘in-surgery tooth whitening’ (sometimes called ‘chair-side’ tooth whitening), like Philips Zoom In-Surgery Whitening, and then there is professional tooth whitening at home, like Philips Zoom Take-Home Whitening or Enlighten Whitening. The at home versions do require some visits to the dental practice to make custom made tooth whitening trays.
How does teeth whitening in dental surgery work?
In-surgery teeth whitening works using a combination of special whitening gels and a high powered accelerating lamp. At tooth we use Philips Zoom In-Surgery Whitening system for this which is one of the leading tooth whitening brands in the world. The process takes between 100 to 120 minutes in total, and it works as follows:
The patient attends for tooth whitening after they have had either a dental check-up or a free tooth whitening consultation to check they are safe to proceed and to explain the procedure and to check their current shade.
Impressions are taken and these are used to make custom made tooth whitening trays which will be given to the patient. These are to complete the treatments for a few days at home afterwards to get maximum whitening results and for future topping up.
Then the areas around the teeth are protected with special equipment and materials, and professional whitening gel is applied. The accelerating Zoom lamp is then placed over the mouth and is run for 15 minutes whilst the patient relaxes in the chair.
After this the teeth are cleaned, new gel is applied and the process is repeated. In total the patient will receive 4 x 15 minute lamp sessions.
Afterwards the protective materials are removed, and the patient can rinse – then the work is done!
After the in-surgery whitening the patient will be given 2 x Philips Zoom Top Up Syringes which are to be used twice a day with the custom made trays, for 30 minutes per day for 3 days. This completes the treatment. You will see a whiter shade after the surgery whitening session and this will be enhanced over the 3 days at home. You can expect up to 5 shades whiter from Philips Zoom Whitening.
How does teeth whitening at home work?
Tooth whitening at home works by the patient attending a dental check-up or a whitening consultation (free) as above, to confirm if it is safe for the patient to do tooth whitening, to check the shade of the teeth currently and to go through how the whitening works.
At tooth dental care in London, we do two types of take home whitening and each works slightly differently:
Philips Zoom Take-Home Whitening:
For this, impressions will be taken and these will be used to make custom made trays for your teeth to be used for the tooth whitening. When the tray is ready for collection you will come to pick this up and your professional whitening gels.
You can choose from daytime whitening gels or night time whitening gels, depending on which you prefer. Although both will achieve the same results, they are formulated differently owing to the way that they are used.
The daytime tooth whitening gels should be used twice a day for 30 minutes per day and the course will last around 9 days to complete.
The night time whitening gels should be worn at night, overnight, whilst you sleep. The course will last around 18 days.
Enlighten Whitening System:
You will attend your first visit and a digital scan will be taken of your teeth. This scan will be used to make your custom made trays which will be ready for collection in 2 weeks. On the same day you will be issued with a special tooth whitening serum from Enlighten which you should use instead of your regular toothpaste for 2 weeks (whilst awaiting your trays).
The next visit you will get your trays, the Dentist may choose to apply some desensitisation gel and/or issue you with a desensitisation pen and you will be issued three syringes for use at home. Each one is for one week and they must be used in order. Enlighten is worn at night and you sleep with the gels in. The process takes three weeks at home.
After this has completed, you need to use the Enlighten whitening toothpaste which will be issued to you, until it runs out, to maximise the results.
Once you have used the gels you will be booked in for a quick review and shade check at the dental practice.
Enlighten is the only whitening system to guarantee results – and it guarantees a shade of B1 – which is the highest natural shade a tooth can be!
Does teeth whitener contain bleach?
When it comes to teeth whitening, many people wonder whether these products contain bleach. While the term bleach may bring to mind household cleaning products, teeth whiteners typically use a different kind of bleaching agent specifically designed for oral care, and they rely on ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to brighten your smile safely and effectively.
It’s worth noting that these bleaching agents are specifically formulated for dental use and have been tested for safety when used as directed. They are not the same as the harsh chemicals found in products like household bleach. Whitening products are carefully designed to brighten your smile without damaging your enamel or causing harm to your gums. That said, it’s always a good idea to follow the instructions provided with any whitening product and consult with your Dentist if you have concerns. You should ensure that the gel doesn’t get onto your gums and wipe or gently brush your gums after placing the trays in your mouth each time.
Which tooth shades are available?
The results of tooth whitening will vary from patient to patient as all of us are different, but you can typically expect results of up to 5 shades lighter than pre-whitening with Philips Zoom treatment and a shade of B1, which is a great and lovely and bright natural shade, with Enlighten Whitening Systems.
How not to whiten your teeth!
We’ve spoken a lot above about what to do to whiten your teeth, but its also important to remember what not to do! Never buy whitening products (gels, strips etc) online – always speak to your Dentist or Hygienist about professional and safe tooth whitening treatments. Avoid prolonged long-term use of abrasive whitening toothpastes, unless advised by your Dentist or Hygienist. Some contain harsh products, such as baking soda, which could damage your enamel in the long term if the formula isn’t correct, or should you have enamel wear or similar. Ultimately these toothpastes do not whiten but they can remove everyday stains. These can never be a substitute for a visit to the Hygienist at least every 6 months though! And finally, although this sounds obvious - never, ever try to whiten your teeth at home using any household or online products that are not specifically designed, tested and certified for this purpose.
What do I do if I want to book tooth whitening in London?
Simply get in touch with us via WhatsApp, phone or email or click the book now button above, and we will be happy to help. We can book you in for a dental check up or a free tooth whitening consultation and explain the process and options in more depth and check it is safe for you to proceed.
Then from there, you can start your journey to a brighter smile!
Dr. Anna x