Take Home & Professional Teeth Whitening in Currambine

Your dental health has to be assessed by a qualified dentist before teeth bleaching can be recommended. Ideally, dental health should be optimal without fillings or restorations. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Smiles in Currambine to set up an initial consultation for teeth whitening so that we can assess your dental health and recommend the best method for whiter teeth

Teeth whitening treatment is safe for pregnant women but is usually not recommended due to dental health complications that may occur during pregnancy. Although teeth whitening does not pose any known risks during pregnancy, it would be best to wait since teeth and gums are more vulnerable at this time.

In-chair teeth whitening usually takes one to three hours. Most dentists treat patients with hydrogen peroxide gel, like many at-home kits. However, the products dentists use are much more potent and concentrated whitening solutions that should only be used under professional supervision.

After your oral health has been assessed, we will get to work on preparing your mouth for the cosmetic treatment. We will use a lip retractor to keep your mouth open wide, gauze to keep your mouth dry, and a rubber dam and protectant gel to protect your sensitive gum tissue from hydrogen peroxide.

In the next step, we will apply the whitening gel to your teeth and use a light to activate it and deliver instant results. You will sit under the light for about 20 minutes as the light will convert the oxygen in the gel so it can penetrate deep into your tooth enamel to get to your colour pigments. We will likely go through several applications, depending on the colour of your teeth and your desired shade.

Tooth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that is generally considered safe. However, it does pose some potential risks:

1. It is possible to experience temporary tooth sensitivity after a few treatments. Your cosmetic dentist may recommend potassium nitrate gel and sodium fluoride gel to reduce the discomfort.

2. Tooth whitening products contain peroxide, which can irritate your gums if they aren’t adequately protected. Yet another reason you should let a qualified dentist perform your teeth whitening.

3. A person can over-whiten, resulting in a greyish tinge to their teeth. It is very rare for this to occur, and only when the whitening process is overly prolonged.

4. Though rare, there’s the possibility of ingesting the treatment gel if you’re using a take-home teeth whitening kit. This may cause nausea and vomiting. However, your custom-fitted tray should fit almost perfectly around your teeth and reduce any chance of this happening.

For several days, avoid hot and cold drinks to minimise tooth sensitivity after teeth whitening. Try lukewarm or room temperature drinks instead. For at least two weeks after teeth whitening, avoid sugary drinks and foods that stain easily, such as berries, coffee, tea, and wine. To prevent stains on teeth, eat only low-acid foods. Tobacco products are one of the quickest ways to stain or re-stain your teeth, so it is recommended that you quit smoking and chewing tobacco, not only for your health but because they are so damaging to your bright smile.

Depending on the treatment method you choose, teeth whitening costs will vary. Take-home teeth whitening kits can be as much as $400, while in-chair teeth whitening can cost as much as $200 per tooth.