Teeth whitening is the treatment we are asked about more than any other cosmetic option at Oriel Villas Dental Surgery in Cheltenham, and it is also the one surrounded by the most noise. Strips, pens, charcoal powders, blue lights in shopping centres. This guide sets out what whitening at a dental practice actually involves, who it suits, what it costs, and where the limits are. If you read nothing else, read the section on the law, because it will save you money and possibly your enamel.
How professional whitening works
Every legitimate whitening product does the same job. A peroxide gel sits against the enamel, breaks down into oxygen, and that oxygen passes into the tooth and lightens the pigments trapped inside. It is not a coating. It is not scrubbing. The colour change happens within the tooth itself, which is why it lasts far longer than a polish.
At Oriel Villas we whiten using custom-made trays that you wear at home. The process has three short steps. First, a consultation, where we check your teeth and gums, talk about the shade you are hoping for and confirm you are suitable. Second, impressions of your teeth, which go to the laboratory to make trays that fit your mouth and nothing else. Third, a fitting appointment where we show you exactly how much gel to use and how to place the trays. From there you wear them either for a short period during the day or overnight while you sleep, and most people reach their new shade in around fourteen days.
We chose the tray route deliberately. The gel is in contact with the enamel for a controlled time at a controlled strength, night after night, which gives an even result and is much kinder to people with sensitive teeth than a single high-concentration session in the chair. It also means you keep the trays. Six months or a year down the line, a couple of nights with a top-up syringe brings the shade straight back without starting from scratch.
Who whitening suits, and who it does not
Whitening works on natural enamel that has yellowed with age, tea, coffee, red wine or tobacco. Those are the easy wins, and they are the majority of people who ask.
It does not change the colour of crowns, veneers, bridges or white fillings. If you have a crown on a front tooth, whitening will lighten the teeth either side and leave the crown where it was, so we plan around that, usually by whitening first and then replacing the crown to match the new shade. Grey discolouration from an old injury or certain antibiotics taken in childhood responds more slowly and sometimes only partly. Whitening is also not permitted for anyone under 18, and we would not whiten anyone with untreated decay or gum disease until that has been sorted out.
This is why the consultation matters. Ten minutes with a mirror and a shade guide tells us whether trays will get you where you want to be, or whether something like composite bonding or veneers would serve you better.
What to expect during and after
Some sensitivity is normal. It tends to arrive on day two or three as a brief, sharp twinge with cold drinks, and it fades within a day or two of finishing. Using a sensitive toothpaste for a fortnight beforehand helps a great deal, and if it bothers you, whitening every other night instead of every night is a perfectly good way to finish the course.
While you are whitening, and for a few days afterwards, the enamel is slightly more porous, so it pays to go easy on anything that would stain a white shirt. After that, life goes back to normal. Results usually hold for between one and three years depending on your diet and whether you smoke, and top-ups are quick.
The law, and why the high street is a problem
In the UK, whitening gel strong enough to work (anything between 0.1% and 6% hydrogen peroxide) may only be supplied by a registered dental professional after an examination. Beauticians, salons and kiosks are not permitted to carry out tooth whitening at all, and prosecutions do happen. Products sold in shops and online are legally limited to 0.1% peroxide, which is why a month of strips can leave your teeth looking exactly as they did before.
Some products get round the limit with acidic or abrasive ingredients that lift surface stain by wearing the enamel down. That gives a short-lived brightness and a longer-lived problem, because thinner enamel shows more of the yellow dentine underneath. We have seen more than one patient arrive with teeth that look worse, not better, after a course of something bought abroad. Please do not put unknown chemicals in your mouth to save a few pounds.
How much does teeth whitening cost in Cheltenham?
Our fee for whitening is £350, and it is listed on our fees page so there are no surprises. That covers the custom trays, the gel and the appointments. If you are new to the practice, a new patient examination with X-rays and a written treatment plan is £80, and it is a sensible place to start because it lets us check for anything that needs treating before you whiten.
Many patients pair whitening with a hygiene visit. Removing tartar and surface staining first means the gel reaches clean enamel, and the result is noticeably more even. Our hygiene appointments start at £82.
Frequently asked questions
Is teeth whitening safe?
How white will my teeth go?
Can I whiten if I have sensitive teeth?
Is whitening available on the NHS?
Talk it through with us
If the photographs have started to bother you, come and have a chat. We will tell you plainly whether whitening will give you the result you are after, and if it will not, we will tell you what would. Call Oriel Villas Dental Surgery on 01242 523531, ring our private line on 07741 593675, or email practice@orielvillasdental.com to book a whitening consultation in Cheltenham.
Written by Dr Jakub Wojcicki,
Dentist at Oriel Villas Dental Surgery
(GDC No. 84982)