Teeth Whitening: Safe, Dentist-Supervised Treatment

Teeth whitening must be supervised by a dentist because UK law treats it as the practice of dentistry and restricts the gels used. The General Dental Council's position is that only GDC-registered professionals may provide it. A dentist prescribes the treatment, and it is carried out by that dentist or, working to the prescription, by another dental professional the GDC permits to provide it, such as a dental therapist. Anyone else offering it may be prosecuted.

Separate UK cosmetic product rules apply to whitening gels themselves. Products that contain or release between 0.1% and 6% hydrogen peroxide can be sold only to dental practitioners, and three conditions apply: The home gels used at the practice are 16% carbamide peroxide, which releases less than 6% hydrogen peroxide, and 6% hydrogen peroxide.

• An appropriate clinical examination comes first, to check for decay, gum disease or other problems.
• For each course, the first use must be by a dental practitioner or under their direct supervision, after which the rules allow the patient to complete the course at home.
• The gel cannot be used on anyone under 18 for cosmetic whitening.

Gels stronger than 6% hydrogen peroxide are not permitted for cosmetic whitening at all, and breaking these rules is a criminal offence. NHS guidance adds that kits bought online, or whitening from places without a dental professional, may not work as well and may harm your teeth and gums. You can check a dental professional's registration on the GDC's online register before treatment. The risks are explained in more depth in the safety pages in this section.

Deepcar Dental Care offers two professional whitening systems, Enlighten and Boutique, and both are delivered as a take-home tray course. Whitening is provided by our dentists. The course takes two appointments, and your trays are usually ready around a week after the first. The gel supplied is 3 to 4 weeks' worth, in 4 syringes. There is no in-surgery power whitening session, and no whitening light is used.

A hygiene appointment before whitening is recommended. Other whitening options at the practice include:

• Whitening of one arch only, upper or lower
• Internal whitening for a single dark tooth that has had root canal treatment
• Top-up kits for previous patients
• Whitening bundled with another treatment

The systems and options are described in more detail among the whitening options in this section. If you are unsure which route fits your teeth, the guide to working out which option suits helps you decide.

Teeth whitening can be part of a wider cosmetic plan, and the order matters because only natural teeth lighten. Whitening before composite bonding is offered at the practice, and whitening first is optional, not required. Bonding material, veneers and crowns keep the colour they are made in, so they do not follow the gel. Clear aligner treatment at the practice includes whitening at the end, and align-and-whiten and align-whiten-and-bond packages are available. The order of treatment has its own guide on getting the order of treatment right, and cosmetic dentistry as a wider discipline is explained on its own hub.

You can have teeth whitening at Deepcar Dental Care, 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH. There is free parking directly outside, the practice is on the ground floor with wheelchair access, and it is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday. Your medical history can be completed online before your first visit. The practice is around 15 minutes by car from Sheffield city centre and 5 minutes from Stocksbridge, and there is a separate page about teeth whitening in Sheffield. You can also read what patients say on our patient reviews page.