Available From: Smile 4 You (exclusive online retailer)

Our teeth tend to darken gradually with age partly due to a build up of stains that gradually permeate the enamel and dentine of the teeth, and probably also partly due to the fact that the pulp in the middle of the tooth tends to gradually shrink as dentine is laid down inside, causing a gradual increase in thickness of dentine and increasing opacity of the tooth. The amount of darkening varies widely from person to person, and can be more marked in people who drink a lot of tea, coffee, or red wine.

Having a nice white even smile is a definite social advantage, and in recent years it has been discovered that it is possible to whiten teeth by bleaching them with a thixotropic gel (meaning the gel stays where it is put), of sufficient concentration. The gel used is carbamide peroxide, which can permeate the enamel (and dentine) of the teeth and liberates active oxygen which helps convert coloured compounds to colourless ones thereby lightening the overall colour of the teeth.

Dr. George’s Dental White kit is based on a standard formulation of carbamide peroxide with a strength of 16%, which has been proven to be effective at whitening teeth over time. Too high a strength of carbamide peroxide might jeopardise the health of the tooth pulp, (the “nerve” of the tooth), so 30% solutions that had been used are now discontinued.. Many home teeth whitening kits are based on about 10% concentration which takes much longer to give a noticeable result, even if employed within a tray and most are not. They are just painted on to the teeth and are diluted by saliva within a short time, so are relatively ineffectual.

Dental White claims to produce noticeable results within thirty minutes of use and up to 11 shades whiter within two weeks. In fact the gel ideally needs to be in contact with the teeth for about 1-2 hours daily for a period of about two weeks to give a good result. The kit comes with trays of a rubber-like material that is heated in hot water and then moulded to the teeth by pressing it all over. The gel is then squeezed into the tray in an even manner and placed over the teeth.

Benefits of Dr. George’s Dental White:

• Dental White contains 120ml/cc of 16% Carbamide Peroxide gel, which according to the makers, is 4 times more than any other teeth whitening kit available online today for the same money.

• The gel is of the right concentration and formulation to give good results with minimum discomfort, and is proven to whiten teeth provided it is allowed to be in contact with them for adequate periods of time.

• The gel is the same as that used by most dentists, and thus can achieve a similar result at much less cost.

• The gel can be applied to the teeth and allowed to work for a couple of hours in the evening say, whilst watching television or reading, so does not interfere with normal daily activity.

• The materials are easy to purchase, easy to store at home, and have a useable life of about two years.

• The procedure can be repeated from time to time if necessary to top up the effect.

• If you have slightly inflamed gums the effect of the gel can be beneficial as its oxygenating action combats many bacteria involved in gum disease.

• The kit is safe and FDA approved (Food and Drug Administration in the US).

Disadvantages:

• The claims of results within 30 minutes are not borne out by experience. There needs to be adequate time for the active ingredients to fully permeate tooth enamel. In practice, noticeable lightening is usually seen within a few days provided the gel is coating the teeth for at least two hours a day.

• The claim of up to 11 shades whiter may be over optimistic. The degree of whitening perceived rather depends on what shade guide you are using. With the shade guide most commonly employed by dentists you would expect to achieve a lightening of 3-4 shades, which doesn’t sound dramatic, but is in fact a very significant change in colour, and quite sufficient for most people. Teeth that are dead white can look artificial so it is not necessary to aim for extreme whitening in order to achieve a pleasing result.

• The gel can cause increased tooth sensitivity to hot and cold, but this is usually only a temporary side effect that ceases after a few days. If pronounced sensitivity occurs during treatment it may be necessary to leave off for a couple of days, or in severe cases to substitute a fluoride gel or fluoride toothpaste in the trays which will reduce sensitivity.

• The mouth trays supplied with the kit will not fit as closely as trays made by a dentist which are vacuum- formed on models of the patient’s teeth. This means that there is often considerable leakage of gel from the trays, and consequent irritation of throat or stomach if a lot is swallowed. It is best to try and avoid talking or constantly biting together when the trays are in the mouth as this only squeezes more gel out. Some patients have been known to sleep with the trays in the mouth for maximum effect but there is the worry of leakage and throat irritation.

• Some people find it difficult to manage both upper and lower arch trays in the mouth together. This necessitates concentrating on say, the upper teeth first, and, when they are sufficiently lightened, to carry out the process on the lower teeth. This has the effect of doubling the overall treatment time.

There are some caveats to bleaching treatments which are common to both home treatments and dentists’ treatments.

• If you have noticeably receding gums then you may get pronounced sensitivity after treatment, as the roots of the teeth are more permeable than the crowns of the teeth.

• If you have any fillings in your front teeth, these will not be bleached along with the teeth and hence may show up darker after treatment. This can be corrected by having the fillings subsequently replaced with a lighter shade.

• The shade achieved is not permanent, and the teeth will tend to gradually darken somewhat over time. They usually stay an acceptable shade of white for up to eighteen months at least, after which time it may be necessary for a short repeat course of bleaching.

Is Dental White right for me?

Dr. George’s Dental White kit is a safe and effective way to bleach your teeth provided you are careful in following the instructions and are able to give it time to work. The end result can be just as good as that achieved by treatment from a dentist, and at much less cost. This is an effective way of whitening your teeth in the comfort of your own home, and at your own convenience. It is definitely recommended.

Where can I buy Dental White at the cheapest price?

Dental White kits are available to buy online exclusively from Smile 4 You. Here’s how to order Dental White at the cheapest price.

Step 1: CLICK HERE to open the Smile 4 You order page in a new window.

Step 2: Select your order and proceed to checkout.

Step 3: Use discount code SMILE5 to get 5% OFF all orders.