How Long Does Teeth Whitening Last?
This page is for anyone who has had, or is considering, teeth whitening and wants to know how long it lasts. It varies between people. NHS guidance says the effect may last for around 3 years if you follow your dentist's advice. In follow-up studies of 10% carbamide peroxide, some people reported their colour lasting for years, while others did not.
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Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
This page was reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, a General Dental Practitioner registered with the GDC under number 301711.
How long does teeth whitening last?
Teeth whitening does not last indefinitely, and how long it lasts varies from person to person. NHS guidance says that if you follow your dentist's advice the effect may last for around 3 years. The Oral Health Foundation says results can last several years, but this varies.
Long-term studies of tray whitening show the same spread. Each one below names the gel it studied and gives its less favourable counts as well as its favourable ones.
| Study | Gel and course studied | Follow-up | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randomised trial, 2010 | 10% or 16% carbamide peroxide, 2 hours a day for 3 weeks | 2 years; 81 of 92 participants recalled | Teeth still lighter than before treatment in both groups, with some colour relapse since the end of treatment; more than 66% in each group reported a relapse |
| Clinical study, 2001 | 10% carbamide peroxide in a nightguard tray | Average of 47 months | 82% of participants reported the effect had lasted; the other 18% did not |
| Retrospective case series, 2002 | 10% carbamide peroxide in a custom tray for 6 weeks | Around 10 years (9 to 12); 30 of 38 participants | 43% perceived their colour as stable; the other 57% did not |
| Follow-up study, 2012 | 10% carbamide peroxide | 10 to 17 years; 31 participants | 19 had not whitened again; of the 13 of them who answered, 4 were very satisfied, 7 partially and 2 not satisfied with their tooth colour |
Where numbers are given, these studies followed 30 to 92 people, and the three longer ones rest at least partly on what participants themselves reported. They describe a range, not a promise for any one person.
What shortens how long whitening lasts?
The Oral Health Foundation says smoking and drinks like tea, coffee and red wine can cause staining to return more quickly. More generally, NHS guidance gives getting older, regularly having drinks that can stain teeth, such as coffee, tea or red wine, and smoking as reasons teeth become stained or darker.
One randomised trial of 10% and 16% carbamide peroxide found that the high consumption of staining drinks and foods participants reported had no influence on how long the whitening effect lasted at 6 months.
What helps whitening last longer?
Following your dentist's advice is the condition NHS guidance attaches to its figure of around 3 years. The Oral Health Foundation says good brushing and regular dental cleaning help maintain the result.
Do teeth go back to their original colour after whitening?
Not fully, in one 2-year trial of 10% and 16% carbamide peroxide. At 2 years, teeth were still lighter than before treatment, though some colour had come back since treatment ended. They were also lighter than before treatment at the 6-month and 1-year checks. On the colour measurements, the colour that came back by 2 years made teeth redder and yellower than at the end of treatment. That pattern comes from the 2-year trial alone, so it says nothing about later years.
The science is explained on pages about how whitening gel works on teeth and why teeth change colour.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
Can you keep your whitening trays?
In general, yes: the Oral Health Foundation notes that home whitening trays can be kept and reused if needed. At Deepcar Dental Care, whitening trays last around 2 years if they are well looked after.
What does whitening aftercare include at Deepcar Dental Care?
At Deepcar Dental Care, whitening aftercare includes avoiding smoking during treatment and a white diet for 2 weeks after treatment. A separate page explains the white diet after whitening.
When should you have a whitening top-up?
At Deepcar Dental Care, a top-up is recommended every 6 months, and top-up kits are available for previous patients. How top-ups work is covered on the page about whitening top-ups and maintenance.
When should you speak to your dentist?
Speak to your dentist if your teeth look darker again and you are considering more whitening, or if one tooth changes colour on its own.
Talk to your dentist too if a side effect bothers you. NHS guidance lists teeth becoming sensitive to cold or sweet food and drink, sore gums or throat, and white patches on your gums as side effects of teeth whitening, and says to talk to your dentist if you have any side effects that bother you. Deepcar Dental Care's aftercare advice notes that sensitivity is possible while whitening and usually settles within about 2 weeks of finishing; desensitising gel is supplied. A safety page explains how whitening affects sensitivity and enamel.
Where are the other whitening aftercare pages?
For the rest of the whitening aftercare pages, see the options in this section. The main page explains professionally whitening your teeth with a dentist.
Frequently asked questions
Does a stronger whitening gel last longer?
Not according to one randomised trial of at-home whitening. In the trial, 92 participants used 10% or 16% carbamide peroxide in trays, 2 hours a day for 3 weeks, and a year later both groups had the same median tooth colour. The authors concluded a higher carbamide peroxide concentration does not increase how long at-home whitening lasts.
Does whitening last on crowns, veneers and fillings?
Whitening does not change them in the first place. At Deepcar Dental Care, crowns, veneers and fillings will not change colour with whitening, and the Oral Health Foundation says whitening will not work on fillings, crowns or veneers. A separate page explains how existing dental work responds to whitening.
Can you whiten again if whitening fades?
Some people in one study have. In a 2012 follow-up of 31 people, 10 to 17 years after whitening with 10% carbamide peroxide, the 12 who had whitened again were all very or partially satisfied with their colour; of 13 who had not and answered, 2 were not satisfied. Whether more whitening suits you is a question for your dentist.
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