Professional teeth whitening

Professional whitening uses a peroxide gel to lighten the natural colour of teeth. At the clinic the gel is applied by a dentist after your gums are protected, and it is activated by a light. A take-home option using custom trays is also available. Both are supervised, which is the part that distinguishes them from products bought over a counter.

What it may help with

Whitening can lighten teeth that have darkened from within or been stained on the surface, including:

• Staining from coffee, tea, red wine or other strongly coloured food and drink.
• Staining from tobacco.
• The gradual yellowing that comes with age as enamel thins and more dentine shows through.
• Some, but not all, discolouration following an injury or certain medications.

Examination and suitability

Whitening is a cosmetic treatment carried out on a healthy mouth, so your dentist first checks for decay, gum inflammation, cracks and exposed root surfaces, and treats anything found. Existing fillings, crowns and veneers do not change colour with whitening, so a front tooth carrying visible dental work may need that work replaced afterwards to match — which is a cost worth knowing about before you start, not after.

How much change is possible depends on what caused the discolouration. Yellow tones generally respond well; grey tones respond less predictably; discolouration from a single injured tooth or from tetracycline may need a different approach altogether. Whitening is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and your dentist will discuss it with you if you have widespread sensitivity.

What usually happens

1. Your teeth are examined and, if needed, cleaned first — whitening works on a clean surface, not through deposits.
2. The starting shade is recorded so the change can be judged against something.
3. Your lips, cheeks and gums are protected, and the gel is applied and activated.
4. The gel is applied in cycles within the appointment, with checks in between.
5. You are given after-care advice and, where a take-home kit is part of the plan, custom trays and instructions.

How many visits to expect

In-clinic whitening is usually one appointment of about an hour. Take-home whitening involves a short appointment for impressions and a second to fit the trays, then a course you follow at home over one to two weeks. Estimates only — your dentist will confirm the plan for you.

Limitations, risks and alternatives

• The result varies from person to person and cannot be specified in advance. Some teeth lighten several shades, others noticeably less.
• The result is not permanent. Teeth pick up colour again, at a rate that depends on diet, smoking and cleaning, and many people choose to top up periodically.
• Temporary sensitivity to cold, and occasionally short sharp twinges, are common during and shortly after a course, and usually settle within a few days.
• Gum irritation can occur if gel contacts the gum, and generally resolves quickly.
• Whitening does not change the colour of fillings, crowns, veneers or bridges.
• Alternatives where whitening is unsuitable or insufficient include composite bonding, veneers or crowns — each of which involves work on the tooth itself, and each of which your dentist can explain in context.

After your treatment

For the first 48 hours, teeth take up colour more readily than usual, so it is worth avoiding coffee, tea, red wine, curry and tobacco during that window. Use a sensitivity toothpaste if your teeth feel tender. Contact the clinic if sensitivity is severe or does not settle within a few days.

Treatments and indicative pricing

Prices are indicative and durations are estimates. Your own quote and timing follow an examination and diagnosis at the clinic.

Crossed-out figures marked “elsewhere” are prices that other dental clinics in Thailand, in Bangkok and in Phuket, publish on their own websites for the comparable treatment, as read on 14 September 2026; they are not prices of this clinic. The crossed-out figure on teeth whitening is this clinic’s own regular price. Our figure is the one the treatment starts from; the dentist confirms your own quote after the examination.