I’m having my teeth professionally whitened this week

[Thinkle]

Over the last 10 years I’ve gone from utter certainty I don’t need this and a bit of an eye roll at the trend to becoming more conscious of my teeth and now I think they are the thing that age me the most. I can probably blame Zoom calls, UHD TV and social media.

When I was researching this I found a few mumsnet threads of various ages but actually not as many as I thought. So if people are interested and would find it helpful I can do a kind of diary of how I get on and answer any question you have.

I'm interested please! I'd love mine whitened, but I also have very sensitive teeth and I'm worried it will make this worse. I also don't want to stop drinking tea.
Can I ask the process you're going for please?

@mumjustmum

I'm interested please! I'd love mine whitened, but I also have very sensitive teeth and I'm worried it will make this worse. I also don't want to stop drinking tea. Can I ask the process you're going for please?

Hi! I’m not giving up tea and coffee either, and my teeth are moderately sensitive.

I am using my usual private dentist as I trust them so I am going with what they offer rather than shopping around. They offer Philips Zoom and from some Googling that seems like a good option.
My dentist asked about sensitivity as there are three ways of doing it:
At home night
At home day
In chair at dentist (one visit)
I am going for the in chair as I have to travel into the city for my dentist and I don’t want to go back and forth for the trays. It is £400 vs £300 for at home. She did tell me that the night time option is the better home option for sensitive teeth as it’s weaker solution (left on for longer).
She said that no one in her clinic had needed to stop the in office process for sensitivity.
Once I’ve had it done I can keep the trays and buy top ups to maintain the colour which are much cheaper and not as intensive as the initial whitening.

Do you have concerns about going too white? Some celebs have gone so white that all you see is their teeth. Not dislike when Ross whitened his teeth in Friends.

Thanks for this thread, I will follow with interest I have read this is a good way to look less haggard but not too obviously "done"

I had the in office whitening and they do it in three goes. I had to stop after the first go and leave as the pain zinged from the roots of my teeth up to my brain. And what’s more it didn’t stop for hours! I got out, went to the supermarket and kept stopping dead in the aisle clutching my face as the zingers came back. It was over in a few hours but I didn’t know that was even possible and was scared it was going to be forever!

My dentist has actively put me off whitening my teeth. He seems to think that at 60 I should just accept them.
I'd love whiter teeth.

@Hathertonhariden

Do you have concerns about going too white? Some celebs have gone so white that all you see is their teeth. Not dislike when Ross whitened his teeth in Friends.

Hi, no, my dentist showed me her tooth colour chart with where I sit (not as bad as I perceive but that’s common) and where I am likely to get to based on lifting by four shades and I’m happy. She was very clear they would not be Dulux brilliant white! The expectation is that they will darken over time hence the top up treatments so even if they were slightly brighter than expected it will be ok longer term. I think some of the terrifyingly white celeb teeth are veneers aren’t they?

@WrinklesShminkles

Thanks for this thread, I will follow with interest I have read this is a good way to look less haggard but not too obviously "done"

This is exactly what I am trying to do!

@KravMaga

I had the in office whitening and they do it in three goes. I had to stop after the first go and leave as the pain zinged from the roots of my teeth up to my brain. And what’s more it didn’t stop for hours! I got out, went to the supermarket and kept stopping dead in the aisle clutching my face as the zingers came back. It was over in a few hours but I didn’t know that was even possible and was scared it was going to be forever!

Oh no! What product was it?

@Youngstreet

My dentist has actively put me off whitening my teeth. He seems to think that at 60 I should just accept them. I'd love whiter teeth.

That’s a shame. Did he say why? My dentist has cautioned me about over use of abrasive whitening toothpastes as they damage enamel so I trust that she wouldn’t then sell me something damaging. The convos were a year apart and I raised it both times. No sell.

I’ve just been on to their site to look but it doesn’t say and I can’t remember. Sorry! It will be down to the percentage I guess? Their at home stuff was ok though and with that, your teeth are really white straight after (I guess almost dehydrated) so quite good for doing just before something where people are taking photos.

Get some sensodyne rapid relief, it's the best one. I didn't need it after the in chair but did for the trays

I’ve got the trays and at home whitening through the dentist and it’s absolutely brilliant, I didn’t need to go loads of shades whiter so did about 4 nights initially then every few months I might do another 1 night if I have a special occasion coming up.

The gel has lasted ages and the results have been brilliant. At home whitening (buying a kit from boots or something) doesn’t come close results wise

Just re sensitive tooth paste - the whitening gel opens the pores in your teeth so you should NOT use sensitive toothpaste for the few days you’re using them, otherwise the whitening won’t work so well. Once you’ve finished your few days then go back to using the sensitive toothpaste (and if it’s too much pain then do use it but the whitening will take longer)

Following please as I keep thinking about doing this - you're right, the fact that so many other people have done it makes you so much more conscious of your own teeth!

I use Philips zoom on my teeth at home day whitening. They have gone a nice white, but will never go super white as that is always veneers. My teeth didn't go sensitive. It's a really good system and I top up when required. My teeth look healthy and white but not ott white. You cannot use sensitive toothpaste with it as it's stops the gel working. I had it done a few years ago and I have the trays at home and buy the syringes from my dentist when needed. It's the best thing I have ever done. I was a ex smoker and I hated the colour of my teeth.

I'm in my 60s and getting it done by the hygienist in March. Looking forward to my teeth being brightened rather than whitened.. I'm not telling anyone, so it will be interesting to see the reaction.

I've had mine done at dentist, you have to go for check up and clean first. They offer the phillips zoom whitening treatment and it goes on offer twice a year for £160 for the trays and gel. You just buy the gel once a year for around £60 I think, the kit comes with sensitivity gel too. I've moved dentists so I'm going to have to possibly have the full kit price to pay again, but the results are worth it and I didn't have any senitivity.

Just as an aside, the law changed many years ago to regulate tooth whitening treatment products so that only licensed professionals can prescribe ones over 0.1%, anything bought from a shop shelf will not do anything for whitening.

I am so interested in getting this done for my birthday.

I have used the crest whitening strips from the US and they have given me an ok result but I’d love the more instant and longer lasting result of a professional whitening. Friend has had hers done and she looks so fresh and healthy. If you look at her you can’t put your finger on quite what it is about her that looks good, but it’s the teeth. They give you an instant lift.

op eve best wishes to you! Would you take a before ad after pic? Just of your teeth?! 🙏🏼🙏🏼

I had mine done by my dentist and like Kravmaga it was done in three goes using a tray of solution then a laser. It was excruciating and we could complete the last session due to the pain.

However I wouldn't worry about going too white. I had people ask if I was wearing a new lipstick but no one actually worked out I'd had my teeth whitened. I do now do a yearly top up using at home whitening strips.

I had mine done. It was super painful and the pain has become permanent, it never went away completely. They will tell you this can’t happen but it does. It has also left some stripes on my teeth where they didn’t whiten evenly, again they will tell you this is temporary but it isn’t. I paid £700 to a celebrity dentist so it was done properly and this still happened.

Yes, be prepared for pain and sensitivity! I’ve had the at home kit from the dentist and the sensitivity was horrendous. I’ve never had sensitive teeth before and my teeth are in good condition but the tooth whitening was really grim. I’m not sure I’d do it again as it was so painful.

I went to my dentist hygienist and she got rid of all my tea and coffee stains and my teeth are now gleaming white.

@QuizzicalEyebrows

I went to my dentist hygienist and she got rid of all my tea and coffee stains and my teeth are now gleaming white.

Yup, I’ve done this (it’s part of the process) but alas my teeth are not gleaming white. You are very lucky!

So today is the day, I have to go to an appointment straight after so I’ll report back in the evening. For now I’m running through questions I need to ask about after care:

Do I need to follow a white diet and for how long after?

Clarification about the sensitive toothpaste comments on here - yay or nay
Frequency of at home top ups

Can anyone think of anything I’ve missed?