Frequently asked Questions.

Which Gel strength should I use.

The choice of gel strength depends largely on whether or not you have sensitive teeth. All whitening gels will increase the sensitivity of your teeth during whitening and for a few days after the whitening process. They will return to normal after you have completed the course. If you already have sensitive teeth, using a milder gel will give you less discomfort during this time. The overall whitening will be the same but the milder gels just take more applications to reach the desired shade. If you do not have sensitive teeth, then you may wish to speed up the process by using the stronger gels.

Whitestrips or Full Kits

Both will give excellent results and lots of people use the whitestrips for convenience. The full kits generally give a slightly better final result as the whitestrips contact the front/rear surfaces of the teeth and can have limited effect on the gaps between teeth. This can in some cases leave your teeth with slightly yellow edges. The full kits with the trays tend to squeeze the gel between the teeth and give better overall coverage. The gel strengths are the same for both whitestrips and full kits. Whitestrips are essentially a small piece of plastic film covered with standard whitening gel.

Sensitive Teeth 

If you have sensitive teeth, your should be careful about using the high strength gels. It is far better to go for a mild gel and take your time with the bleaching process. It may help to leave whitening free days in your schedule to keep the sensitivity under control.

How Many Shades Will I Whiten

Dentists use shade charts when matching crowns/filling material to the natural colour of you teeth. Whitening is measured by how many shades you teeth colour moves along this chart. The amount of shades that you will whiten will depend on a number of things. If you have badly stained teeth and have never whitened before, you are likely to have a significant change of 7 shades or more. If you have mild yellowing, this may be only be a few shades. If you have whitened on a regular basis, the changes may only be a shade or so. People who whiten on a regular basis may feel that their teeth require whitening after they have only faded a single shade. Your teeth will have a natural colour beyond which they will not whiten and this will vary between people due to genetic effects.

How often should I Whiten

If you have never whitened before, you should complete the course until you either reach your desired shade or you have reach your natural limit. Most people find that a top up whitening every six months or so will keep your teeth looking good. Try not to over-whiten as it is far better to brush your teeth more often than to let them discolour and then whiten. Lifestyle choices can also have a significant effect on how long your teeth remain white. Things that will cause your teeth to discolour faster are things such as coffee, red wine etc.