Teeth whiting is probably one of the most requested cosmetic dentistry procedures in any dental clinic. This is probably due to the fact that it is the quickest, cost effective and virtually non-invasive method to dramatically improve the appearance of your teeth and achieve a beautiful smile.

Most teeth naturally have a yellow tint mainly due to their anatomy. The enamel, an outer layer of tooth, is semi-transparent. And the second layer of tooth, dentin, is naturally a creamy yellow colour. Naturally, dentin becomes slightly visible through the enamel giving a tooth this unattractive yellow tin.

Even the whitest teeth can significantly darken over time due to various factors. The colour of your teeth is most likely to change due to smoking, frequent consumption of tea, coffee, red wine, fizzy drinks and bad diet. There are various professional teeth whiting technologies available on the market of cosmetic dentistry which can safely and effectively brighten your smile by eliminating discolorations.

Most cosmetic dentists can usually offer an in-house laser teeth whiting and professional home whiting kits. Essentially, both procedures involve the use of hydrogen peroxide-based bleaching agents. The “do it yourself” home whiting kits are usually much weaker in strength meaning that you would have to carry out the whiting procedure on a regular basis over a certain amount of weeks or even month, depending on the actual colour of your teeth and the desired result.

Laser teeth whiting on the other hand can deliver almost instantaneous results. Because the strength of the bleaching solutions used for laser teeth whiting is much more intense, the colour of your teeth can change by as much as 10 shades at any one time. It can save you a lot of time, but most importantly, the whiting process will be carried out under the supervision of a qualified cosmetic dentist, thus reducing the risks of damage to both gums and teeth. But sadly, the results of both laser and professional home whiting kits are not always fully predictable since some stains may prove to be more stubborn than others.

So, how safe is professional teeth whiting? If you ask your cosmetic dentist, the answer would probably be positive. Which is good, but you should also know that it is possible to develop certain side effects after both laser and home whiting procedure. Reasonably common side effect appears to be increased teeth sensitivity. But such side effect is not likely to last for more than 48 hours. Another side effect that can occur even after professional teeth whiting is gum irritation. Such side effect is rare after laser teeth whiting as all reputable cosmetic dentists use a special protective substance to cote you gums prior to the start of whiting procedure which reduces the risk of irritation to minimum. Gum irritation as a result of the use of professional home whiting kits is also not so common simply because such bleaching solutions are of much weaker concentration and therefore less likely to irritate your gums. Therefore, it can be said with confidence that despite these minor side effects, professional teeth whiting remains a very safe procedure in cosmetic dentistry. How long does the result last? It is safe to say that teeth whiting, like anything else does not last forever. Over time, the procedure would have to be repeated in order to carry out regular maintenance. How often it has to be done will mainly depend on the nature of your teeth, hygiene and your diet. On average the result of laser teeth whiting can last for a couple of years after which treatment would have to be repeated. Some cosmetic dentists would even recommend to use home teeth whiting gels, ever so often, to help to keep up the appearance of newly acquired snow-white smile. At last, be wise about how and where you are going to whiten your teeth. Make sure your cosmetic dentist can offer the best possible advice, products and protection to your teeth in order to avoid being disappointed.