Tooth whitening - is it safe/worth the money?

ripplyuk

Ever since I started drinking tea (just one cup a day usually) I've noticed my teeth aren't as white as they used to be. I'm considering getting them whitened but I'm wondering if it'll be a waste of money. Does the effect last long?
I'm also worried it could cause damage or sensitivity. I've heard that the online kits are a bad idea but I keep thinking that the stuff the dentists use is probably much the same thing.

I'm also a nervous wreck at the dentists which is another reason I keep feeling tempted to try one of these home whitening kits instead. But I know that's not the best idea.

Has anyone had this done? I'd appreciate any advice.

brook2jack

If it's just staining from tea , the cheapest, safest and best choice health wise is to book in for a scale and polish with a hygienist. It will cost £30 to £60 and will get rid of stains such as tea. If your own practice does not have a hygienist many practices will take direct appointments for hygienists without having to see their dentist. A system such as airflow or sylc polishing does an even nicer job.

Any over the counter kits do not whiten teeth they also just remove stain but do so with harsh abrasives which can also, over time, remove tooth enamel.

There are kits on the internet which will illegally provide the same chemicals as dentists use for whitening teeth, often in higher concentrations than even dentists can legally use. The risks from these should be obvious.

Only dentists can provide teeth whitening i.e. Not just removing superficial staining but changing the underlying colour of the teeth. For this you would need a full dental check up etc to assess if your mouth if healthy enough.

Anoneemoose

brook2jack wrote: »

If it's just staining from tea , the cheapest, safest and best choice health wise is to book in for a scale and polish with a hygienist. It will cost £30 to £60 and will get rid of stains such as tea. If your own practice does not have a hygienist many practices will take direct appointments for hygienists without having to see their dentist. A system such as airflow or sylc polishing does an even nicer job.

Any over the counter kits do not whiten teeth they also just remove stain but do so with harsh abrasives which can also, over time, remove tooth enamel.

There are kits on the internet which will illegally provide the same chemicals as dentists use for whitening teeth, often in higher concentrations than even dentists can legally use. The risks from these should be obvious.

Only dentists can provide teeth whitening i.e. Not just removing superficial staining but changing the underlying colour of the teeth. For this you would need a full dental check up etc to assess if your mouth if healthy enough.

Does the whitening affect the health of your teeth, if you get it done via the dentist. I have had a scale and polish before and didn't notice a great deal of difference, but that was a long time ago and haven't had one since. I have never been offered one in recent years, is it best to ask?

Sorry for hijacking your thread, OP.

ripplyuk

No worries Anoneemoose. I'm also keen to find out if it could harm my teeth.

My dentist did mention previously that I could see the hygienist to remove the staining. But he also said it's not something I NEED done, it would just be cosmetic. So due to my fear of anything dentist related, I put it off.

I guess I was thinking that it would be a lot less stressful to have some sort of whitening gel pasted on, rather than letting a hygienist use all those scary instruments!

brook2jack

Any whitening gel you can legally buy over the counter will not whiten teeth.
However they may remove stain and they do that by either using an abrasive or acid. Both of those can cause damage to the enamel of the teeth.

A scale and polish will not whiten teeth but it will get rid of staining from tea,coffee etc with added health benefits for your gums.

Particularly on the NHS you will not be offered a scale and polish to remove staining as that is purely cosmetic treatment. If you see a Dentist on the NHS you can ask for a scale and polish to remove stain but that would have to be done privately.

Teeth whitening is a process that is safe for most people but you need to have a check up , x rays , and an assesment to make sure you are not one of the people whose oral health makes it a bad idea. Then treatment should be supervised by a dentist.

Anoneemoose

brook2jack wrote: »

Any whitening gel you can legally buy over the counter will not whiten teeth.
However they may remove stain and they do that by either using an abrasive or acid. Both of those can cause damage to the enamel of the teeth.

A scale and polish will not whiten teeth but it will get rid of staining from tea,coffee etc with added health benefits for your gums.

Particularly on the NHS you will not be offered a scale and polish to remove staining as that is purely cosmetic treatment. If you see a Dentist on the NHS you can ask for a scale and polish to remove stain but that would have to be done privately.

Teeth whitening is a process that is safe for most people but you need to have a check up , x rays , and an assesment to make sure you are not one of the people whose oral health makes it a bad idea. Then treatment should be supervised by a dentist.

Thank you.

I *think* I am ok for it, unless anything has changed since my last appt, of course.

I think I might try a scale and polish first, to see if it gives them a bit of a boost. I've been wanting whitening done for a while, but something else always crops up..oh and Mr Anon thinks it's a waste of money. Not that this makes much difference!

ripplyuk

I've looked up the Sylc polishing and it sounds great. (Thanks brook, I'd never heard of this).

Apparently it has the added benefit of remineralising teeth and doesn't involve any scary dentist tools, just high pressure water. My dentist is private, not NHS, so I'll ask if they do this type of polishing before thinking about professional whitening.

It sounds like it would be good for teeth whereas whitening still worries me a little. I know the online kits are dodgy but I imagine dentists also use some sort of 'acid' or something similar to whiten teeth. The last thing I want to do is create a problem with sensitivity or weaken my teeth, just to remove some tea stains.

robotrobo

Tooth whitening - is it safe/worth the money?
Hi.
My NHS dentist supplied me with the whitening kit £250 & also the teeth trays, i used the kit for 3 weeks useing as directed by the dentist 16% polarnight.
I purchased another small anount off the internet & did not feel as confident in the solution even though it was identical stuff.
The result was incredible & family & friends are well impressed.
I then went ahead & 3 veneers fitted , at this moment in time its a fantastic job done, only time will tell over the years.
i have reasonably looked after my teeth over the years, except i had a front bridge that had started comeing out to often , so i have taken the plunge to enhance my mouth?.
OK i knew i was paying over the odds with the dentist, but i have no qualms about it
Im also thinking about breast enlargement, then relised im a bloke!.

brook2jack

It is illegal for anyone to sell whitening gels containing hydrogen peroxide over 0.1% direct to the public in the UK and the rest of the EU.

Anyone selling you polanight 16% from the Internet is knowingly breaking the law and there is a high chance the product is counterfeit , out of date or has other problems.

Indeed SDI the manufacturers of polanight have issued warnings not to buy whitening gels from anyone other than dentists because of the illegality and dangers http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/polanightcouk-do-not-purchase-pola-products-from-polanightcom-or-happy-smiles-c598612.html

moneylover

I have just finished orthodontic treatment that I have wanted for decades but never been brave enough before. As part of that I got 4 weeks supply of home dental whitening. My teeth looked brilliant for a couple of months but now no different to before. . I drink weakish tea but not coffee and am not a fan of many of the foods such as curry which stain. So can only presume that teeth whitening doesn't last too well if you are older and enamel presumably thinner. Am 70.

Toothsmith

moneylover wrote: »

I have just finished orthodontic treatment that I have wanted for decades but never been brave enough before. As part of that I got 4 weeks supply of home dental whitening. My teeth looked brilliant for a couple of months but now no different to before. . I drink weakish tea but not coffee and am not a fan of many of the foods such as curry which stain. So can only presume that teeth whitening doesn't last too well if you are older and enamel presumably thinner. Am 70.

That's not really the case. If it's done with gel & trays from a dentist - the result should be long lasting whatever the age of the enamel/tooth.

It's possible it could be some staining dulling them a bit, but once polished, then it should be back up to the post- whitening colour.

It is also possible you might just have 'got used to' the new colour, and so doesn't look so spectacular to you any more (A bit like when you first get an HD telly, then a few weeks later, the picture just looks 'normal' until you see an older telly again!)

If you're unhappy, then go back and see your dentist and see what they suggest. That is part of what you've paid for after all.