Teeth Whitening: At Home Vs A Dentist

As professional dentists, we love to help our patients feel happy and confident about their smiles and improve the health of their mouth, teeth and gums. Today, we’re focusing on a purely cosmetic treatment – teeth whitening. With an established history in lifting stains and brightening smiles, it’s one of our most popular makeover treatments here in Derby and can have a dramatic effect in just a short space of time. Even better, it’s a long-lasting treatment – and our top dentists will give you plenty of tips on keeping that smile dazzling for longer.

What’s so great about teeth whitening?

Our patients find that teeth whitening has some great benefits:

  • Improves the appearance of the smile, generally brightening the teeth and lifting several shades
  • A minimally invasive procedure, with little in the way of downtime or side-effects
  • Long-lasting results provided aftercare is followed
  • A fantastic alternative to permanent treatments like veneers, which can be more costly, too
  • Can help turn back the clock on ageing and revitalise your smile

What can cause staining?

Diet and lifestyle are the main cause, whether it’s smoking, drinking red wine and coffee, or eating foods such as curries and berries. If you’re unsure about what’s causing the staining, keep a food diary and we’ll give you some advice.

Should I whiten at home or with a dentist?

Off-the-shelf whitening kits are not typically recommended by our Derby dentists, especially if you’ve bought them online (this could mean they haven’t been made in the UK and so could have less stringent laws about ingredients). Results can be unpredictable and treatment can be unsafe – and that’s if you notice a difference. Whitening with a dentist, such as ourselves, is preferable because treatment is as safe as it is effective. It involves a session in practice to create custom-made whitening trays, plus at-home gel – and you’ll get our expert care throughout. In other words, you’ll have the flexibility of at-home treatment with the expertise and support of a dentist in practice.

Who can carry out teeth whitening?

A dental professional registered with the General Dental Council (GDC), for example, a dentist, hygienist or dental therapist. Rest assured we are fully qualified to carry out this highly effective treatment. You can easily check if a dentist is registered by asking for their GDC number.

How do I book teeth whitening?

Talk to our Derby team today and we’ll arrange a session when it suits.