Professional teeth whitening is considered safe when performed by a qualified dentist. Combined with substantial experience and facilities, this allows teeth whitening to be performed at the highest standard.

As per the NHS, the duration of teeth whitening varies, typically lasting from a few months to three years. The type of procedure and lifestyle factors, like smoking and diet, impact longevity. DIY kits, bought over the counter may offer shorter results - merely a couple of months , where as professional whitening can last up to three years. Staining habits, such as smoking or consuming teeth-staining foods and drinks like tomatoes, coffee, and red wine, can shorten the effectiveness of whitening. Conversely, incorporating teeth-friendly foods like strawberries, apples, and cheese into your diet may extend the lifespan of teeth whitening.

There are many over the counter methods that will give you the promise of pearly white teeth. Many of these will have little to no effect on the shade of your teeth. Most will simply dehydrate the teeth, and they will appear whiter for a short period of time, before quickly fading back to their original shade. At worst, these treatments can be very damaging to the teeth and gums.

Teeth whitening is an act of dentistry. You wouldn’t do a filling on yourself, so don’t try and whiten your teeth yourself – leave it to the professionals to ensure you achieve the best possible result. 

Dentist supervised home whitening is a gradual process, so you can decide quite easily when you are happy with the shade of your teeth and when you would like to stop the process.

With teeth whitening, even when the teeth become very white, they should still look natural and pleasing without looking fake. This effect is often owing to the use of overly white porcelain crowns or veneer, which are often more opaque and less natural looking than your own teeth.

There is no need to change your diet during your whitening treatment. The only change we would suggest is that you do not eat heavily coloured foods for an hour after whitening your teeth each day. Apart from this you can eat and drink as normal.

The main side-effect of teeth whitening is sensitivity. Up to 70% of people who have teeth whitening will experience some form of sensitivity, from mild discomfort to severe pain.  Some people may also feel some slight irritation of the gums or lips. Both of these effects are temporary and will resolve, given a little time, after stopping or finishing your treatment. 

The effects of sensitivity when whitening your teeth can be mitigated in most cases by following this protocol:

1  Full examination.

2  Photographs with time-stamp and shade tab visible.

3 Restore any exposed root dentine with composite or glass ionomer.

4  Use a chair-side desensitising agent on any areas of sensitivity, as directed in instructions. Gluma, Hurriseal or Vivasens all work well.

5  Use Sensodyne Toothpaste in the whitening trays, overnight, for 3 nights.

6  Use Boutique Biomin Toothpaste in place of your regular toothpaste for 2 weeks prior, and throughout, the whitening process.

7 If the sensitivity persists, you can whiten on alternate nights, and wear the Sensodyne Toothpaste in the trays overnight on the days in between.

There is a perception amongst the public that in-surgery whitening using lamps or lights (it is never a laser!) is a superior way to whiten teeth.

This raises some controversy and polarises opinion. The theory is that the light ‘activates’ the teeth whitening gel in some way, increasing the rate of free radical release.

There are numerous studies showing the lights to be effective, but these are usually done by the companies that manufacture the lights themselves, so you draw your own opinion as to how credible these are. These should be approached with an open mind!

So, although there is questionable evidence to prove the effectiveness of lamps, if you wish to use this method and you enjoy the experience, then the choice is up to you.

There is, however, an overwhelming body of evidence to show that dentist supervised home whitening is very effective, and produces consistently superior results.

Coconut oil, oil pulling, charcoal, bicarbonate of soda….none of these ingredients work to safely and effectively whiten the teeth.  

Coconut oil is effectively useless, and charcoal and bicarbonate are excessively abrasive. Whilst they may lift some surface staining, they will do so by removing some of the enamel, which will never grow back. The result after multiple uses will be thinner enamel, which will allow the yellow dentine underneath to shine through, and in turn cause the teeth to appear darker and more yellow – the exact opposite effect you want!

Some of these products also work by dehydrating the teeth so that they initially appear whiter.  However, the effects will quickly fade and the teeth will return to the same shade that they were previously.

The only proven, safe and effective way to whiten your teeth is dentist supervised whitening using a peroxide-based formula. 

Peroxides that can be prescribed by a dentist have a wealth of clinical evidence behind them, and are 60 times stronger than the products available over the counter, or from the internet.

The concept of whitening toothpastes has been around for over 50 years. Originally, these pastes were excessively abrasive and worked by aggressive removal of stain and surface enamel.. Modern whitening toothpastes are much more tooth friendly, so can be used regularly to help maintain a whiter, brighter smile. The key word here is MAINTAIN! These pastes will rarely whiten your teeth to any great degree.

On average the patient will be with us for 45 - 60 minutes.

All treatments are carried out by fully qualified dentists who are registered with the GDC (General Dental Council).

Buy online here by either "paying in full' or "paying the deposit"** . Once you have received your confirmation email please get in touch to choose your appointment date and time.

Of course, feel free to get int touch to enquire about availability before purchasing.

Please note the booking will not be confirmed until payment is completed and a confirmation email is received.

**The remaining balance will be paid during your appointment at the clinic.

The appointment will include an examination to make sure the teeth and gums are healthy enough for the treatment. A scale and polish to prime the teeth ready for the whitening. Custom Trays, Biomede Toothpaste and 8 syringes award-winning 16% overnight formula.

Teeth whitening generally doesn't affect the colour of veneers, crowns, or fillings. These dental restorations are made from materials that don't respond to traditional whitening agents.

In the VITA Tooth Shade Guide, the whitest shade is referred to as "B1." This shade represents a very light and bright white colour for teeth. It is often used as a reference for achieving a high level of teeth whiteness in dental restorations or cosmetic dentistry procedures.

If B1 is not achieved whilst using the 8 X syringes of 16% Carbamide Peroxide provided, more syringe will be provided

If you require fillings to cover any exposed root surfaces and areas of obvious sensitivity - we can carry out the work during the appointment (time dependent). Alternatively, book an appointment with Dr Oscroft or with a dental practice of your choice during the 2 week period whilst the custom trays are being fabricated.

The dental practice is located on the prestigious Harley Street. More details included transport links can be found on our contact page by clicking here.