Tooth whitening
You can gain a beautiful white smile with various safe, modern whitening methods. Book a free appointment with a dental hygienist where you can discuss the most suitable method for you. The dental hygienist will tell you what to do before and after the whitening in order to achieve permanent ideal results.
Book an appointment for whitening consultation
Before tooth whitening
Visit a dentist before whitening your teeth to check their condition and treat them, if necessary.
Whitening your teeth requires that you have:
- no active gingivitis
- cavities
- or tartar in your mouth or teeth.
Tooth whitening is not recommended for pregnant women or people under 18.
The enamel of tooth may become too damaged from drinking lots of carbonated drinks to whiten the teeth, but there are no other common contraindications for tooth whitening. If you have fillings, veneers, crowns or bridges, please keep in mind that their colour will not change in the whitening process. It is ideal to consider whitening before any prostheses or fillings are made in the front teeth. Fillings can be replaced with light-coloured fillings after the teeth are whitened.
How is tooth whitening performed?
The ideal method of tooth whitening depends on the initial circumstances, the desired outcome, the time available and your preferences; it possible to perform whitening at home over time or at a single appointment at the clinic.
The fastest alternative is performing whitening at the clinic, where a dental lamp can be used to improve the outcome. A dental hygienist will cover the mucous membranes of the mouth carefully before spreading the whitening agent on the surface of the teeth, making it possible to use a more powerful agent than the agent applied at home. It takes about 1.5 hours to perform the whitening at the clinic.
A dental hygienist’s appointment for making a dental impression is required even if you want to perform the whitening at home. The impression is used to produce individually designed instruments that can be used at home to apply the whitening agent. The dental hygienist will tell you how often and for how long the instruments should be used. In most cases, whitening your teeth at home takes from a few days up to a week.
Instead of chemical whitening, tooth stains can be removed with a paste or soda by a dental hygienist. This method cleans the surface of the tooth and makes it clear without having any effect on the tooth’s structure.
After tooth whitening
You should not eat anything that may stain your teeth, smoke or use snuff during whitening performed at home or for a couple of days after whitening performed at the clinic. The whitening process opens the pores of the teeth temporarily, which makes it very easy to stain the teeth.
Substances that cause stains include, for example:
- certain spices
- berries
- vegetables
- beverages
- juices
- coffee
- tea
- and red wine.
The enamel will return to normal in a couple of days after the whitening, after which you can eat normally again.
For how long do the results of tooth whitening last?
The results of tooth whitening may last for up to a couple of years by following the home care instructions. Maintaining good oral hygiene, avoiding staining food products and using whitening tooth pastes according to instructions help maintain the results. It is recommended to wait at least one year before whitening your teeth again.
You may experience transient sensitivity in your teeth during or after tooth whitening, but it will subside on its own. If your teeth are healthy, whitening them will not cause chronic sensitivity. You may take a painkiller in advance before visiting a dental hygienist for tooth whitening according to the instructions provided.
What is the price of tooth whitening?
The price of tooth whitening depends on the chosen method. Browse the price list of Hammas Mehiläinen.
Free whitening consultation at Hammas Mehiläinen
You may visit a dental hygienist for a free tooth whitening consultation if you want more information about tooth whitening. Together with the dental hygienist, you will go through the various alternative methods, requirements and cost estimates for each procedure.
Book an appointment for whitening consultation
The consultation takes 15 minutes and no procedures are performed in this appointment.
Book an appointment for whitening consultation by accessing Mehiläinen’s appointment booking service or by calling 010 273 8000 (0,0835 €/call + 0,1669 €/min).
