Teeth whitening
Whitening works brilliantly on some teeth and does nothing at all on others. Finding out which you have takes five minutes, and it happens before you pay for anything.
Whitening bleaches the natural tooth structure. That means it works on enamel stained by tea, coffee, tobacco or simply age, and it does not work on crowns, veneers, fillings or bonding, which keep whatever shade they were made in.
It also has limited effect on staining that sits inside the tooth rather than on it, whether from a childhood antibiotic, a knock, or a dead nerve. Those need a different approach entirely. You'll be told which category your teeth fall into at the assessment.
Signs that usually point here
Whitening suits some situations well and others not at all. These are the cases where it usually delivers.
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Yellowing from years of tea, coffee, or red wine
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General dulling that has come on gradually with age
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Staining from smoking or tobacco use
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Teeth that look fine but you'd like brighter for an event
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Recently completed orthodontic treatment and want to finish the result
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Uneven shade across teeth that are otherwise healthy
What actually happens
One appointment, but scaling comes first. Bleaching over tartar produces a patchy, disappointing result.
Shade assessment and honest answer
Current shade is recorded and your teeth are checked for crowns, fillings and internal staining. If whitening won't achieve what you want, you'll hear that here rather than after paying for it.
Consultation visitCleaning first
Whitening gel works on the tooth surface, so any tartar or surface staining is removed first. Bleaching over deposits gives an uneven result and wastes the treatment.
Separate or same visitProtecting the gums
A barrier is applied along the gumline before any gel goes on. This is the step that determines whether the appointment is comfortable or not.
10 minutesApplying the gel
Whitening gel is applied and activated, usually in two or three cycles within the same appointment. The new shade is recorded against the starting one so the change is measurable rather than remembered.
45–60 minutesBefore and after
A case from the clinic, shared with the patient's written consent.
In-clinic whitening, single session. See more cases →
Does whitening damage enamel?
No, at the concentrations used clinically and applied by a dentist. The concern is real for unsupervised high-strength products bought online, which is a different situation entirely.
Sensitivity to cold during and after the session is common. It affects most people to some degree and typically settles within 24 to 48 hours. A desensitising toothpaste in the week before helps considerably.
The step that matters for comfort is the gum barrier. Gel on unprotected gum causes a temporary white patch and stinging. Applied properly, that doesn't happen.
What it costs
In-clinic whitening is faster and more controlled; take-home kits are cheaper and slower. Combining them gives the longest-lasting result.
- Consultation and shade assessmentStarts at
- In-clinic whitening sessionStarts at
- Take-home kit with custom traysStarts at
- Combination (clinic + home)Starts at
- Scaling beforehand, if neededStarts at
Ranges, not quotes. You get the exact figure after the examination and before any work starts.
What people ask before booking
No. Crowns, veneers, composite fillings and bonding keep the shade they were made in, permanently. If you whiten and those restorations are visible, they will suddenly look darker by contrast, which is why anyone planning both should whiten first and match the restorations to the new shade afterwards.
One to three years, depending almost entirely on what you drink and whether you smoke. Tea, coffee and red wine bring the stain back fastest. A top-up session or a home kit maintains it.
Almost always internal staining: discolouration inside the tooth from tetracycline in childhood, trauma, or a dead nerve. Bleach works on the surface layer; it can't reach that. Veneers or internal bleaching of a single dead tooth are the alternatives.
They're weaker, and the main risk is the absence of a gum barrier and of anyone checking whether you have decay or exposed roots first. Whitening over an untreated cavity is genuinely painful.
Not fixed braces. The brackets cover part of each tooth and you'd end up with squares of a different shade. Wait until they're removed. With clear aligners, the trays can sometimes double as whitening trays.
For 48 hours the teeth are more porous and absorb stain readily. Avoid tea, coffee, red wine, turmeric-heavy food, and tobacco during that window. It makes a real difference to how long the result holds.
What usually comes next
Book a consultation
The consultation covers the examination and, where it's needed, an X-ray. You'll know what's wrong and what it costs before committing to anything.
In pain right now? Call the clinic instead of waiting for a callback.