Professional Teeth Whitening

Servicing Columbus and all Central Ohio areas

FAQ

Will whitening my teeth damage the enamel?

Whitening your teeth using a safe product and in moderation will not damage the enamel. However, never use a product containing alcohol, chlorine dioxide or any acidic ingredients.  You actually have more of a chance of damaging the enamel by brushing your teeth too often or by overusing an abrasive product such as baking soda or whitening toothpastes that contain abrasive ingredients.

How much whitening is too much?

Whitening your teeth too much can cause severe, and even irreversible sensitivity.  If you do experience sensitivity you should lower the frequency and duration of the whitening gel on your teeth. We have discovered that using our products frequently, but for only 30 - 40 minutes at a time will get your teeth as white as they are going to get without experiencing sensitivity.  Once the desired tooth shade is achieved, a 30 minute treatment once a month at home using our take home kit and a 30 minute in-office treatment a couple times a year will keep your teeth their whitest all year long.

Ideally you want your teeth to match the whites of your eyes. 

Isn't teeth whitening expensive?

It can be. Having your teeth whitened at a dentist office can cost $400 - $1000. But because there seems to be dentists on every corner they seem willing to lower their price by 50% or more to attract new customers to their practice and as a price leader so that they can find other dental work that might need to be done before they will whiten your teeth.

At Bright Smiles we only offer teeth whitening, so you don't have to worry about us trying to get you to do other procedures before we whiten your teeth or pressure you to change dentists. Although we do recommend seeing a dentist on a regular basis for x-rays and cleanings, when it comes to teeth whitening, we offer the best value for our customers. Considering the amount we all spend on hair, nails, make-up and other cosmetic procedures, keeping your teeth their whitest at Bright Smiles is very affordable. 

How white are my teeth going to get?

After one or two 20 to 30 minute whitening sessions using Abella Ultra-White™ products, our customers see results from 4 - 12 shades with the average shade difference 6 - 8 shades. We do not add "white" to your teeth, we are simply removing stains from the inner and outer tooth.  Your teeth are not going to be glowing or look unnatural. If you don't expect a miracle, you will be happy with your results. There is a lot that goes into how white your teeth will get. If stains are from age, tobacco, coffee, tea, or other food and drink and your teeth are a yellow shade, bleaching works very well. Certain medications like tetracycline can cause the teeth to turn a gray color which makes them very difficult or impossible to whiten. Genetics also play a role in how white your teeth will get. Sometimes you really don't know until you try, 

How long is the whitening going to last?

No teeth whitening procedure is permanent. Some say whitening lasts from 6 months to 2 years. That might be true if you never use tobacco, drink coffee, tea, red wine Kool-Aid, dark sodas, or never eat salsa, spaghetti sauce, dark fruit, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, beets, spinach... you get the idea. Frequent touch ups allow you to keep your teeth white and still enjoy the things that make you happy in life. 

Who should not get their teeth whitened?

If you are under 14 years old or have not had your permanent teeth for at least 2 years you should not whiten your teeth. Although some pediatricians and breast feeding experts say it is safe for mom and baby, we recommend waiting to whiten your teeth. Why take a chance, it can wait. Also whitening is not a good idea If you are allergic to peroxide, have cavities or gum disease.

Will it whiten my crowns and fillings?

No. Bleaching will not damage or whiten artificial dental work past its original color. As a matter of fact, if your natural teeth are already whiter than the caps or fillings, whitening your teeth more will only make the artificial teeth appear even more yellow. If you are considering replacing artificial dental work, make sure to whiten your teeth as much as you can before the procedure so the dentist can match the color to your whitened teeth. 

Does it cause sensitivity or is it painful?

Since we started using Abella Ultra-White™ products, we have only had a handful of customers experience even mild sensitivity and it was gone the next day. Occasionally, bleaching gel will come into contact with the gums or lips. We dramatically reduced this when we stopped using pre-filled whitening trays and now have our whitening technicians apply the whitening gel to the mouth tray which lets us "customize" the procedure according to the size of our customers' teeth. When whitening or "blanching" of the soft tissue does occur, it is very tolerable and the white goes away in 15 minutes or so. We supply you with vitamin e oil before the procedure to protect your gums from the whitening gel and again afterwards if needed to coat any blanching that does occur.

Why is the whitening gel in an orange colored syringe? And what is the light all about?

We use a professional blue LED whitening light which raises the temperature of the whitening gel a few degrees which in turn accelerates the whitening process. But what sets us apart from our competition is that we are the first company to use the new Abella Ultra-White™ products that are actually light activated, which makes it possible for our customers to see great results in an even shorter amount of time. If you are paying for a teeth whitening procedure that uses any kind of light, whether it is an in-office procedure or an at home product, make sure the whitening product is not in a clear syringe or container. If it is truly a "light activated" whitening product it wouldn't make sense to expose it to light while still in its container. 

We are always happy to answer your questions. Please don't hesitate to contact us.