9 Things to know before you get Teeth Whitening

1.    Go to a dentist: I did some research on the best ways to get whiter teeth and unless you go to the dentist, Crest Whitening Strips seem the best home option. To get the best results you do need to get laser or trays from the dentist. I headed off to Neem Tree Dental Practice based in Esher, (also based in Wandsworth and Fleet Street) and the staff were just a dream, usually a dentist is a pretty daunting experience but they made me feel so relaxed and I went for the tray option.

2.    Think about a clean: Before your treatment it is important your teeth are clean by clean I don't mean a quick brush and floss. Neem Tree had the perfect package, the 'Platinum Package' of a hygienist appointment and home teeth whitening for. You will first get your teeth impressions taken which is a struggle (tiny mouth and bad gag reflex) then you will get a hygienist appointment using the DiamondClean Electric Toothbrush for super clean teeth, I could not keep from touching my teeth with my tongue. If you had braces and have the little metal wire behind your teeth it is an absolute bitch to clean so these appointments are really important and you really need to be getting an appointment every six months. 

So with clean teeth it was time to get those pearly whites...

3.    The right amount: Just put a small dot of the whitening gel right in the bottom, front of each tooth impression (you can ignore the back two teeth, who will ever see those). One tube should be enough for two full trays and half of one. A tip I found after my third try, when I thought the top of my teeth were not colouring I used a cotton bud to ensure a thin layer covered the entire tooth.

4.    It’s not magic: Your teeth will not turn white overnight; I used PolarNight, 16% and thought my teeth would be instantly whiter they were not, you should start to see a difference on the third time. 

5.    White Dots: After your first few sessions you may see very bleached dots on your front teeth but do not worry they will even out.

6.    Give yourself a break: After three days I was getting a little fed up of:

A. not having gleaming white teeth 
B. the side effects - sensitivity, the odd sensation of wind

but with a day off my teeth went back to normal and actually started to look white. After this I decided to do one day on, one day off to give my teeth a chance to react to the treatment.

7.    Wind Tunnel: It will feel like you have a constant wind in your teeth and it feels weird I am not going to lie, it doesn’t hurt but it’s just an odd sensation. As soon as you stop this will go away.

8.    Sensitivity: My teeth did start to feel sensitive as the treatment went on but as soon as I had my day break they went to normal. One night I did wake up with a sharp pain and I immediately took them out and its was fine, everyone will have different levels of sensitivity so it might be worth taking some pain killers but if it starts to hurt just take a few days off.

9.    Take a break: If its feeling too sensitive just take a day or two off. 

So was it all worth it? The short answer is YES it was, I love my new sparkly whites they were not yellow to start but they just looked a bit dull. Whenever I saw a photo of myself I just wished for whiter teeth. My mum and dad had it done last year and after they said it was the best thing they have done and they can't believe they didn't do it sooner and neither can I. 

I would also highly recommend The Neem Tree in Esher, if you live in the area, the lovely ladies here will take great care of you and I couldn't be happier with the results.