5 Whitening Tips for Best Results

Whitening

Teeth whitening is more affordable and accessible than ever! With current teeth whitening trends many of us have attempted some form of home whitening – whether this be in the form of strips, toothpastes, rinses, gels or in even in chair whitening treatments.

Whitening at home with a Professional Whitening Gel, Custom Fit Whitening Trays and on the advice of a Dental Practitioner remains the safest and most effective way to whiten to your teeth.

To help achieve the best possible whitening results and in response to questions we get asked every day – here are our top five tips.

Use Gel Sparingly

There is a common misconception that you if you ‘simply’ fill up your whitening trays up with bleach your teeth will whiten ‘better’, and faster. This is far from the truth! You only require 2-3 pen drops of gel for each tooth you wish to whiten. This will conserve bleach and avoid soft issue irritation and/or sensitivity. Remember, teeth will not whiten better by simply using more gel.

Sensitivity

Many people experience tooth sensitivity as result of whitening. Applying a rest day, that is, a day that you DO NOT whiten between each treatment. Using sensitive toothpaste 7 days prior to whitening will assist in preventing the sensitivity issues from the outset. Further relief can be achieved by using a Desensitizing Product such as GC Tooth Mousse, Pola Soothe or Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief. If your teeth are very sensitive, always talk to a Dental Practitioner before whitening.

Avoid Staining Foodstuffs

A simple yet very effective rule is to avoid consuming anything that would stain a white shirt for up to 48hrs after each whitening treatment e.g. tea, coffee, red wine, tomato sauce, curries etc. Why? Your teeth are highly porous, particularly when whitening and they readily absorb colours which in turn, decreases your overall whitening result and increases the time taken to achieve your desired tooth shade.

Store Gel in the Refrigerator

Always use whitening gels at room temperature, however, many professional teeth whitening gels will last for up to about a year when stored in a cool, dark place like the refrigerator. For example, Pola recommend that both the Polanight and Poladay Teeth Whitening Gels should be stored between 2 and 25 degrees Celsius to ensure the longevity of the active ingredients.

Don’t Over Do It

It is not recommended to whiten your teeth every day of the week – yes, we had to say it. Simply put, whiten each day until you reach your desired shade then start a regular maintenance regime; with 1-4 treatments every 2-8 weeks (adjust as required).This will maintain your bright, white smile whilst limiting possible side effects from bleaching too regularly.

To read more Teeth Whitening FAQ’s visit our Help Centre

Check out our ‘Help Me Choose’ tools to determine whether you are a tooth whitening candidate and to obtain guidance in selecting a gel.

Alternatively, Contact Us and one of experienced team members will be happy to assist.