Chairside teeth whitening is a simple procedure that involves a little preparation. The dentist covers the rest of the mouth tissue, such as lips and gums, before adding the whitening gel to the exposed teeth. While simple, the procedure does require a professional dentist with experience in teeth whitening, as it is important that none of the gel touches anything other mouth tissue. After application, the whitening gel is exposed to a special light that causes it to react. This light activation lasts about twenty minutes and the whole process is normally repeated to ensure perfect results. After a brief fluoride treatment, the procedure is then finished and the patient can leave with a brilliant white smile.

The active ingredient in the gel is hydrogen peroxide, which is a powerful bleaching agent, which is why it is important that the dentist makes sure the rest of the mouth is protected and isolated. The light helps activate the hydrogen peroxide helping to break it down and penetrate the tooth. Once broken down, the hydrogen peroxide releases oxygen, which enters the enamel and dentin, bleaching the tooth surface without affecting the rest of the tooth’s structure. While the treatment is painless, some patients do feel a little discomfort from the low level heat emitted from the light, especially those patients with sensitive teeth.

Caring for whitened teeth

Properly whitened teeth can last a long, long time, especially if the patient looks after his or her teeth and practises good oral hygiene, including regular brushing and flossing. In the initial week after treatment, patients should avoid anything that could cause staining, such as tobacco, coffee, red wine, ketchup and cola, and to ensure the lasting effect of the whitened teeth, it is best to minimise the consumption of these items in the future, too.

Having your teeth whitened with Zoom

Zoom is one of the most popular teeth whitening gels and if you wish to have your teeth whitened with Zoom, the dentist will first check the overall health of your teeth and gums to ensure they are healthy enough to withstand the bleaching. If the dentist feels the teeth are good enough, the next step is to prepare the mouth to isolate the tissues around the teeth to protect them from the hydrogen peroxide.

After the preparation, Zoom whitening gel is applied over the teeth, which is then activated by using the low-heat light. This process lasts for about twenty minutes and is repeated to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the Zoom whitening system. Finally, after two or three treatments with the Zoom gel, the dentist will give the patient a brief (five minute) fluoride treatment to ensure the teeth are protected, after which, the patient can leave the surgery with a brilliant, white smile.