How long does teeth whitening last?
Teeth whitening results can vary widely among individuals, depending largely on the type of whitening method used and your oral habits post-whitening.
Generally, professional teeth whitening treatments done by a dentist can last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years. However, it's not uncommon to see the brightness begin to fade within the first few months without proper care.
Even with the fading of the colour, with proper maintenance, the effect of your initial tooth whitening treatment can last a lifetime!
Professional vs non-professional methods
Firstly it’s important to establish that we are talking about professional teeth whitening in this blog post.
Over-the-counter whitening kits, pastes and online products can be great but their whitening effect will only last a few hours maximum.
That’s because they rely on making your teeth look whiter by a combination of dehydration and glossy residue on the teeth. Both of these things will be washed away by your saliva over a few hours.
Professional teeth whitening uses peroxide to whiten teeth by infiltrating the enamel and breaking down chromatic particles that cause staining and discolouration.
How long does professional whitening treatment last?
It depends,
After your initial treatment, chromatic particles will build up in your teeth again and slowly cause them to discolour over time. The more coffee, red wine and colour-rich foods you have, the quicker this will happen. Smoking will also discolour your teeth quickly.
Without any maintenance, your teeth will fade back to their normal colour over the next 3 years after you have had your whitening treatment.
How do I maximise my teeth whitening
The good news is there are ways to make your teeth whitening treatment last a lifetime:
Carry out your initial treatment properly (3 weeks of home whitening with 10% CP gel is the best way to get a long-lasting result)
See the hygienist every 3-6 months for scaling cleaning and polishing
Brush your teeth properly morning and night with a good electric toothbrush
Carry out top-up whitening treatment every 6 months, or, ideally after your hygiene cleaning
How do I carry out top-up treatment?
When you have your initial whitening treatment, you will be able to keep your whitening trays and use them to carry out top-up treatment as needed.
You can purchase whitening top-up gel from your dentist at your checkups or from your hygienist when you go for your cleanings. remember to take your trays with you as they will need to make sure that they are still suitable for use.
Every six months we recommend topping up your whitening by using day/night gel for 1-2 days and that’s it. Keep doing that and your teeth will stay fresh and white for a long time.
You may even want to carry out top-up whitening before big events and holidays for a little boost.
Keep your whitening trays safe
Take them to your check-up and hygiene appointments
Purchase top-up gel from your dentist
Do 1-2 sessions of whitening every 6 months
Conclusion
Teeth whitening treatment, if done properly and looked after well by you can last a lifetime.
It requires professional treatment and regular top-ups so you just need to make sure you keep your kit safe and top up every 6 months after seeing the hygienist.
If you have any more questions about teeth whitening then feel free to speak to one of our online dentists here.
