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Teeth whitening

Professional teeth whitening

Dentist-supervised Philips Zoom whitening, in-clinic or at home, planned around your teeth, gums and any existing dental work.

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A close-up of a bright, white smile, illustrating professional teeth whitening at Align Dental Surgery, Orchard Road

The wonders of teeth whitening

A bright smile is one of the first things people notice. If your teeth are not as white as you would like, or you find yourself holding back when you laugh, professional whitening is a dentist-supervised way to lighten staining that has built up on the natural teeth.

A patient who would benefit from professional teeth whitening at Align Dental Surgery

How can I whiten my teeth?

Whitening options range from over-the-counter toothpastes and strips to dentist-prescribed treatments. Whitening toothpastes mainly lift surface stains. For a real change in shade, a professional product prescribed and supervised by a dentist is more effective, more predictable and safer for your gums.

At Align Dental Surgery we use Philips Zoom, prescribed by our dentists and available in-clinic or as a take-home kit. Every route starts with a consultation so we can check your teeth and gums and plan around any fillings, crowns or veneers, which whitening does not change.

Two ways to whiten with Philips Zoom

  • In-clinic Zoom: light-activated whitening performed by our dental team in a single session of approximately 90 minutes
  • Take-home kit: custom-fitted trays and dentist-prescribed gel, applied at home over a course set by your dentist
A Philips Zoom teeth whitening consultation at Align Dental Surgery

Align's professional teeth whitening services

In-clinic Philips Zoom teeth whitening at Align Dental Surgery

In-office teeth whitening treatments

  • Light-activated whitening performed in-clinic by our dental team
  • A single session, approximately 90 minutes
  • Post-treatment desensitising gel included
  • Shade assessed and treatment planned by your dentist
A take-home Philips Zoom teeth whitening kit with custom trays at Align Dental Surgery

Take-home teeth whitening treatments

  • Custom whitening trays fitted by your dentist
  • Whitening gel applied at home over a course set by your dentist
  • Post-treatment desensitising gel included
  • Follow-up review to check progress

Results vary between individuals and depend on your natural tooth shade and the cause of discolouration. Your dentist will discuss what is realistic for you at consultation.

The Philips Zoom difference

Philips Zoom is the whitening system we use at Align Dental Surgery. Its Blue LED technology works together with the whitening gel, while Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP) helps protect tooth enamel, supports recalcification and reduces sensitivity during whitening.

Results vary between individuals and depend on your natural tooth shade and the cause of discolouration; your dentist will assess your shade at the consultation and discuss what is realistic for you.

In-clinic Philips Zoom LED teeth whitening in progress at Align Dental Surgery

After your whitening session

Teeth take up colour more easily in the period straight after whitening, so it helps to avoid strongly coloured food and drink for a short while.

Best avoided immediately after treatment

  • Coloured foods and sauces such as beetroot and curry
  • Coloured fruits such as blueberries and tomatoes
  • Drinks that stain teeth: coffee, tea and red wine
  • Mouth rinses that contain chlorhexidine
Coffee and other staining drinks to limit straight after teeth whitening at Align Dental Surgery

Keeping your results bright

Teeth slowly darken again over time, and how long your result lasts depends on the treatment you choose and your daily habits. Staining food and drink will dull the colour sooner.

How to make whitening last

  • Brush at least twice a day and floss between your teeth
  • Use a home-care kit or a whitening toothpaste
  • Keep up regular check-ups and professional cleaning
  • Book a short top-up whitening session now and then if you drink a lot of coffee, tea or red wine
A bright, well-maintained smile, illustrating whitening aftercare at Align Dental Surgery

How long does whitening last?

How long the result lasts depends on the treatment you choose and your daily habits. Teeth gradually pick up colour again, and staining food and drink will dull the shade sooner, so a short top-up session now and then helps maintain the shade.

When whitening is not enough

Whitening is an effective and cost-effective way to lighten teeth, but it has limits. Surface stains respond well, while discolouration deep within the body of the tooth cannot be removed by cleaning or whitening.

For deep stains, the usual option is to cover the tooth with a veneer, a thin outer shell that masks the colour. If a stain is very dark, even porcelain may not fully hide it, and a more opaque but still natural-looking material such as Zirconia may be needed. We will go through the right option for you at your consultation.

Dental veneers used to cover deep tooth stains at Align Dental Surgery

Questions & answers

Teeth whitening: common questions

Is professional teeth whitening safe?
Yes. Professional whitening uses a controlled concentration of whitening gel applied by your dentist in the clinic, or in custom-made trays at home, which is safer and more predictable than over-the-counter products, and your gums are protected during the in-clinic treatment. Some people notice short-lived tooth sensitivity for a day or two, which usually settles on its own and is helped by a sensitive-teeth toothpaste, and the in-clinic kit includes a soothing post-treatment gel. Whitening does not change the colour of fillings, crowns or veneers, so we plan around any existing dental work. A consultation first lets us check your teeth and gums are suitable.
How white will my teeth get, and how long does it last?
Results vary between individuals and depend on your natural tooth shade and the cause of discolouration; some discolouration (for example from certain medications or trauma) responds less well, and your dentist will give you a realistic expectation. The result is not permanent, teeth gradually pick up colour again, but with good oral hygiene, a maintenance toothpaste, regular cleanings and going easy on coffee, tea, red wine and smoking, it can last a good while, and a short top-up session refreshes it. We will talk through what to expect at your consultation.
Why won't whitening fix the white spots on my teeth?
Whitening lightens the overall colour of the teeth, so white spots, often caused by fluorosis or by early decalcification after wearing braces, can actually look more obvious afterwards, because the surrounding tooth lightens but the spot does not change in the same way. The treatment for those marks is ICON resin infiltration, a minimally invasive, drill-free procedure that blends the appearance of the spot into the surrounding enamel, and it is done before any whitening. If you are bothered by white marks, mention it at your consultation and we will look at whether ICON, whitening, or a combination is the right plan.
What should I avoid eating and drinking right after teeth whitening?
Straight after whitening your teeth pick up colour more easily, so it is best to avoid strongly coloured food and drink for a while. That includes coloured foods and sauces such as beetroot and curry, coloured fruits such as blueberries and tomatoes, and staining drinks such as coffee, tea and red wine. It also helps to avoid mouth rinses that contain chlorhexidine. Going easy on these straight after treatment helps protect your new shade.
What if my stains are too deep for whitening to remove?
Some discolouration sits only on the surface, but other stains affect the deeper body of the tooth and cannot be lifted by cleaning or whitening. In those cases the tooth is usually covered with a veneer, a thin outer shell that masks the colour. If the stain is very dark, even porcelain may not fully cover it, and a more opaque but still natural-looking material such as Zirconia may be used instead. Mention any stubborn dark stains at your consultation and we will plan the right approach.

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