Teeth Whitening – Gently Brightening Your Smile

No – professional whitening with tested, pH-neutral gels does not damage the enamel. The gel dissolves colour pigments inside the tooth without eroding the enamel structure. What can occur is temporary sensitivity to cold and heat, which usually subsides after one to two days; a fluoride gel eases it. A healthy examination beforehand is always the condition, so that no gel reaches caries or exposed tooth necks.

A whitening result usually lasts one to three years – depending on how much coffee, tea, red wine or nicotine the teeth see afterwards. In the first 48 hours after whitening the enamel is especially receptive; you should avoid staining foods during this time. After that, a touch-up with the home kit over a few evenings is enough to hold the colour.

No, crowns, fillings and veneers do not change colour during whitening – only natural enamel becomes lighter.

Per session at the practice the teeth usually become one to two shades lighter; home whitening over two weeks achieves a comparable result. How far it goes depends on the starting colour: yellowish discolouration responds very well, greyish less so, and discolouration caused by medication such as tetracycline only to a limited extent. We document the colour before and after and tell you honestly what is realistic.

In Switzerland, gels with more than 0.1 % hydrogen peroxide may only be applied after a dental examination – drugstore products stay below that and lighten correspondingly little. Beauty salons may not use effective concentrations and check neither caries nor cracks or exposed tooth necks, where the gel can cause damage. At the dentist, examination, gum protection and a controlled application time are part of the treatment.