All about teeth whitening
- Teeth whitening
- At home
- Teeth whitening FAQs
- In practice
We’ve seen thousands of patients grow in confidence thanks to a brighter, whiter smile. Our teeth whitening treatments are safe and effective, and come with the professional advice of one of Bupa Dental Care’s trusted dental professionals. And for your convenience, you could have teeth whitening at the practice or with a teeth whitening kit to use at home.
The best way to keep your smile healthy and bright is to look after your teeth and gums. However, it’s not unusual to need a little help. Perhaps you smoke, or your teeth have been stained by tea, coffee or red wine. They may also lose their whiteness with age. Fortunately, our professional teeth bleaching treatments can repair discolouration quickly and safely without damaging the enamel or any other part of your teeth.
Why come to Bupa Dental Care?
Only dental professionals registered with the General Dental Council, like our dentists, are allowed to whiten teeth. Whichever whitening option we recommend for you, you can be sure it’s safe and effective. Plus, you’ll have a helpful initial consultation† where we’ll:
- Check that your teeth and gums are healthy and suitable for whitening
- Discuss the best teeth whitening option for you
- Show you on a chart what shade of white you can expect to achieve and to ensure a natural-looking result
- Give you an idea of how long it will take; depending on your treatment, this could be anything from an hour to several weeks
Find your nearest Bupa Dental Care practice offering teeth whitening.
Teeth whitening at the practice
This option could make your teeth up to six shades whiter in just an hour‡.
Your dentist will apply the gel and use a special blue light to amplify the whitening process, giving quick results.
Teeth whitening at home
Your dentist will give you a teeth whitening kit, with trays and gel, to take home. The tray should be worn as recommended by your dentist and most people wear them overnight. It may take a few weeks to achieve the shade of white you’re looking for.
Home whitening is also provided as a top-up after whitening at the Practice.
What is internal teeth whitening?
If you have a tooth that has gone darker after root canal treatment, your dentist may suggest internal bleaching. This means re-opening the hole that was originally made in your tooth, putting the bleaching product into it, and then closing the hole with a temporary filling. This may need to be repeated two or three times, about a week apart. When complete, your dentist will close the hole permanently with a tooth-coloured filling.
How should you care for your teeth afterwards?
Your whitening treatment should last for up to three years. This can vary a bit from person to person, but mostly it’s about how well you look after your teeth after treatment. So we recommend:
- Regular check-ups with your dentist and visits to the hygienist for a scale and polish
- Properly cleaning your teeth at home
- Stopping or at least cutting down on smoking
- Cutting back on foods and drinks which can stain your teeth
Is teeth whitening right for you?
- You’ll need to be at least 18, although this can occasionally depend on individual circumstances
- Your teeth and gums must be healthy, so your dentist will check this for you
- If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best to delay having your teeth whitened because it’s not yet clear whether the bleaching products can affect the baby
- Bleaching products can’t lighten the colour of any crowns, veneers, bridges or dentures
If your dentist decides you’re not suitable for bleaching, you could consider veneers or crowns for any particularly discoloured or damaged teeth
Smile with confidence
If you’d like whiter or even straighter teeth, we’re here to help.
FAQs
If you still have questions about teeth whitening, our FAQs page should help. But don’t forget you can always just get in touch with your nearest Bupa Dental Care practice.
Cosmetic teeth straightening
We offer a range of orthodontic options, including clear aligners and Invisalign braces. Many of our options are particularly suitable for adults.
‡: 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. *Teeth whitening treatment is not suitable for every patient and is subject to the patient’s oral health as determined at Bupa Dental Care’s discretion. Patients must be 18 years old or over. Prior to whitening treatment commencing, patients will need a dental examination from a Bupa Dental Care dentist to confirm their teeth and gums are healthy and fit for the whitening treatment. This dental examination is a separate charge in addition to the cost of the whitening treatment. The cost of this examination varies by practice – please contact your local practice for further information. Teeth whitening treatment available at participating practices only. Appointments subject to availability.
We'd like to advise patients that many images and videos used throughout our website were taken and produced before the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore social distancing rules and extra levels of PPE are not displayed.
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Bupa Dental Care is a trading name of Oasis Healthcare Limited. Registered in England and Wales number: 03257078. Registered office: Bupa Dental Care Vantage Office Park, Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook, Bristol, United Kingdom BS16 1GW.
