All about teeth whitening
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment which involves bleaching your teeth to make them whiter. The best way to keep your smile healthy and bright is to look after your teeth and gums, but it’s not unusual to need a little help.
You might consider teeth whitening for different reasons. Your teeth can lose their whiteness with age but can also become stained by smoking or drinking lots of tea, coffee or red wine.
Fortunately, our professional whitening treatments quickly and safely remove stains, without damaging your teeth. We’ve seen thousands of patients grow in confidence thanks to a brighter, whiter smile.
We provide two teeth whitening options at practices across the UK: in practice whitening applied by a dentist, and teeth whitening kits to use at home.
Is teeth whitening right for you?
Please note: this photo was taken before the COVID-19 outbreak and social distancing rules.
- You’ll need to be 18 or over to have teeth whitening
- Your teeth and gums must be healthy, which your dentist will check during your initial consultation*
- It’s best to delay having your teeth whitened if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, because it’s not clear whether the whitening products can affect the baby
- Be aware that teeth whitening won’t lighten the colour of any crowns, veneers, bridges or dentures
You’ll need to have a consultation* to check you’re suitable for whitening treatment. If you’re eligible, your dentist will discuss which whitening option might suit you best, and the associated cost.
If you’re unsuitable for treatment, you could consider composite bonding, veneers or crowns for particularly discoloured or damaged teeth. Your dentist will explain your options during your consultation.
Interested in professional teeth whitening?
If you’re considering teeth whitening, find your nearest practice offering whitening treatment and book a consultation.
Your teeth whitening options
Learn more about the different types of 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 become darker after root canal treatment, your dentist may suggest internal teeth whitening.
This means re-opening the hole that was originally made in your tooth, putting the whitening gel 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.
Result created using internal bleaching, teeth whitening and a composite filling by Dentist Adam Franks at Malt House Specialist Dental Centre, Part of Bupa.
Teeth whitening aftercare
If you take good care of your teeth after treatment, professional whitening can last for some time. To maximise its effects, we recommend:
- Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste for two minutes, twice a day, to remove daily stains
- Flossing daily
- Regularly visiting the hygienist for a scale and polish
- Stopping or at least cutting down on smoking
- Cutting back on foods and drinks which can stain your teeth, such as coffee and red wine
Top-up kits are also available to maintain your new smile. Your dentist will explain how to care for your smile after treatment.
How much does whitening cost?
The cost of professional whitening differs among practices. Typically, at-home whitening costs less than in-practice whitening.
You’ll also need to pay for a teeth whitening consultation, to ensure you’re suitable for treatment. For an exact cost, contact your local practice who’ll be happy to advise you.
Before and after photos
Yes, teeth whitening works if carried out by a trained dental professional. Whitening uses a peroxide-based gel to lighten the teeth. When these chemicals break down, they release oxygen. This gets into the hard, outer surface of your teeth (the enamel) and whitens them.
The cost of teeth whitening varies per practice. At-home whitening generally costs less than in-chair whitening because you spend less time in practice. You’ll also have to pay for a consultation before treatment to make sure you’re suitable for teeth whitening. Get in touch with your local practice to find out an accurate cost.
Yes, whitening is safe if it’s done properly. It’s illegal for anyone else other than registered dental professionals to carry out whitening procedures. A dental professional includes dentists, dental hygienists, therapists and technicians - who are registered with the General Dental Council.
Shop bought whitening treatments should only contain 0.1% of hydrogen peroxide. It’s illegal to sell any kits with a higher level than this in the UK.
These low levels of peroxide don’t achieve stable results in the way professional whitening does. Whitening treatments carried out by a dentist can contain up to 6% of hydrogen peroxide, which must be dispensed by a trained dental professional and your suitability will need to be evaluated first.
Some over-the-counter kits are abrasive and work by wearing the enamel away. Your teeth may initially appear whiter but can cause long-term tooth surface loss.
Whitening doesn’t hurt, but it’s common to experience some mild sensitivity either during or after the initial treatment. This should settle down after a couple of days. If it doesn’t, get in touch with your dentist who can give you further advice.
Your dentist can recommend suitable toothpaste and other products to help if you do experience sensitivity. High-quality whitening products, used by dentists, come with anti-sensitivity ingredients incorporated into their gels, to avoid this happening.
Lots of people can have teeth whitening treatment, but some people may not be suitable if they have gum disease or other dental health problems such as tooth decay.
You’ll need to have consultation with your dentist before having treatment, to assess the suitability of your teeth.
You can choose to have your teeth whitened either at-home or in-practice. With treatment in-practice, your dentist will carry out the whitening for you, and you’ll see results in about two hours. You’ll then need to use a top-up kit, at home, for around a week to ensure the results stay permanent.
With at-home teeth whitening, your dentist will give you a whitening kit for you to apply yourself at home. This takes around two or three weeks to take effect.
No, whitening only works on natural teeth. Restorations such as fillings, crowns and dentures can’t be whitened.
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment, which means it’s not available on the NHS. Finance options can be arranged at most Bupa Dental Care practices if you’re looking to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you opt for in-practice teeth whitening, it takes about two hours to achieve results, but whitening needs to be maintained with a top-up kit for around a week to ensure the results are permanent.
At-home teeth whitening kits take around two to three weeks to take effect.
Facial aesthetics at Bupa Dental Care
Looking to complement your new smile following teeth whitening? We offer consultations for facial aesthetics, also known as anti-wrinkle treatments.
Why choose Bupa Dental Care for professional teeth whitening?
GDC registered
Only dental professionals registered with the General Dental Council, like our dentists, are allowed to perform whitening treatment. Whichever professional whitening option you choose, you can rest assured that it’s safe and effective.
Available nationwide
We have over 3351 practices offering teeth whitening in the UK.
Trusted provider
We’re the UK’s number one provider of private dental care, such as teeth whitening.
Philips ZOOM! whitening
Many of our practices use Philips ZOOM! teeth whitening, which can whiten teeth by up to six shades‡.
More about teeth whitening
In practice whitening
Get teeth up to six shades whiter in one hour with Philips Zoom! in practice whitening‡. Ideal for quick results.
At home whitening
Find out how to whiten teeth with our at-home whitening kits. Learn how it works and the benefits of home whitening.
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.
*Teeth whitening treatment is not suitable for every patient and is subject to the patient's oral health. Prior to whitening treatment commencing, patients will need a dental examination from their dentist to confirm their teeth and gums are healthy and fit for whitening treatment. This dental examination is a separate charge in addition to the costs of the whitening treatment.
‡: 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.
1: Correct as of September 2021.
2: LaingBuisson, Dentistry UK Market Report, 5th ed. If you require verification, please email [email protected]
Many images and videos used throughout our website were taken before the COVID-19 outbreak and therefore do not represent COVID best practices.
^ 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.
^ 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.
