Teeth whitening:
Teeth whitening at home
Have you considered teeth whitening? Perhaps you’ve got a special event coming up, like a wedding or graduation, or you’re just concerned by staining which has been building up.
Professional teeth whitening is a safe and effective way to whiten your teeth. At Bupa Dental Care, we offer a range of professional whitening options.
If you’d prefer to do it yourself, our whitening kits allow you to whiten your teeth at home, under the guidance of a qualified dentist. The kits include custom-fit trays that look like retainers, and whitening gel to apply within them.
Interested in home teeth whitening?
If you are considering professional whitening, speak to your closest practice offering whitening and book a consultation
What are the benefits of our teeth whitening kits?
They’re safe and won’t damage your teeth.
At-home kits allow you to whiten your teeth from the comfort of your own home. It’s easy to apply and won’t get in the way of your daily life.
Teeth whitening at home is gradual, so there’s no sudden, noticeable change in your appearance.
Your dentist will assess your suitability for whitening and give you professional guidance on how to use your kit.
You could start to see the effects of your treatment after just three days.†
You’ll need to apply it for about two weeks before seeing the full effect - teeth up to six shades whiter.†If you’re looking for quicker results, you can have your teeth whitened in practice in as little as 24 hours.
How does teeth whitening at home work?
Whitening your teeth at home involves three simple steps:
Step 1 – Book your check-upi
To make sure your teeth and gums are healthy enough for whitening treatment, you’ll need a check-up first with a Bupa Dental Care dentist.
Step 2 – Collect your custom trays
You’ll need to return to the practice to collect your teeth whitening kit.
During the appointment, your dentist will ensure the trays fit correctly and comfortably, and they’ll show you how to use them.
Step 3 – Whiten your teeth at home
Now it’s over to you.
Your dentist will discuss how long to wear the trays each day, which can be anything up to eight hours (in which case, most people opt to wear them overnight).
The time will depend on your teeth and the shade of white you’re looking for.
Alternatively, you can have your teeth whitened in practice. Your dentist will discuss your best teeth whitening options with you before you start any treatment.
What about ‘over the counter’ teeth whitening kits?
Many pharmacies and websites sell teeth whitening kits or whitening strips to use at home. Just be aware that some can permanently damage your teeth and they don’t always work.
Due to EU regulations, the gel in shop-bought whitening kits can only contain 0.1% hydrogen peroxide (the bleaching agent that whitens the teeth)1. This is much lower than the amount needed to whiten teeth effectively, and any effects are often short lived.
Teeth whitening prescribed or provided by a dentist can contain around 60 times this amount, resulting in a much whiter, long-lasting finish.
We’d always advise having whitening under the guidance of a dentist. Learn more about the effects of shop-bought whitening kits.
More helpful information about teeth whitening
Find out more about teeth whitening and which option might be best for you.
Teeth whitening in practice
Whiten your teeth in just 24 hours with Philips Zoom! in practice whitening. Learn more and find your nearest practice.
Teeth whitening FAQs
Find out everything you need to know about teeth whitening, including how much it costs and if it's right for you.
† Philips data. Zoom 6% Whitening Gel Efficacy Test. Data on file. 2013.†Giniger et al Jada Vol. 136, March 2005 and Li et al Compend Contin Educ Dent. Vol 24(5) May 2003.
i This dental examination is a separate charge in addition to the costs of the whitening treatment.
1GDC UK- https://www.gdc-uk.org/patients/illegal-practice/legal-position.
^ We may record or monitor our calls.
Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Dental Care Limited. Registered in England and Wales No: 00478127. Registered office: Bupa Dental Care, Vantage Office Park, Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook, Bristol, United Kingdom BS16 1GW.
Oasis Dental Care Limited has a number of trading names including Bupa Dental Care. For a list of all our different trading names please follow this link.
