Hi, my name is George Bayley. I’m a co-owner and founder of SMOOCH Dental Spa alongside Lisa Meredith.

I’m not a dentist or dental professional, but I’ve always believed looking after your teeth and gums is important. I visit the dentist regularly, but until recently I had never really considered teeth whitening. I wasn’t particularly bothered by the colour of my teeth and, in my mind, they were perfectly good as they were.

Then my daughter Hannah had her teeth whitened by Lisa. I loved the result and thought her smile looked fantastic. That planted the first little seed that perhaps I should give whitening a go myself.

Then along came a Philips ZOOM! Whitening training day for clinicians in Christchurch. They needed someone who had never had professional whitening before and, somehow, I became the willing — although slightly nervous — guinea pig.

I have sensitive teeth, so sensitivity was one of my main concerns. Before the whitening appointment, Lisa assessed my teeth and gums and I had a professional hygiene appointment. We also discussed ways of managing my sensitivity before and after treatment.

The whitening appointment

At the training day, the clinician talked me through the procedure and gave me plenty of opportunity to ask questions before we started.

My lips and gums were protected before the whitening product was applied to my teeth. The Philips ZOOM! WhiteSpeed light was then positioned and the whitening treatment was carried out in several stages.

During the treatment I experienced a couple of brief “zingers” of sensitivity in my lower teeth. I let the clinician know and they applied a desensitising product before continuing. After that, I didn't experience any further sensitivity during the appointment.

When the treatment was finished, I was genuinely surprised by the change in the appearance of my teeth. For me, having brighter-looking teeth made me feel more confident about my smile.

That was my individual experience, though. Whitening results and sensitivity vary from person to person.

What happened afterwards?

I was advised that some temporary sensitivity can occur following teeth whitening and was given advice on how to manage this.

In my case, I experienced a couple of short-lived sensitive sensations about an hour after treatment and then carried on with life as normal. Again, everyone's experience is different.

What did I learn?

The biggest thing I took away from the experience was the value of having my teeth assessed beforehand and being able to discuss my concerns with a dental professional.

Professional teeth whitening isn't simply about choosing how white you'd like your teeth to be. Your teeth and gums should be assessed first so that your dental professional can determine whether whitening is appropriate for you and discuss the options, possible sensitivity and expected results.

If you're considering teeth whitening, you can read more about the options available at SMOOCH on our Teeth Whitening page or talk to our team about whether whitening may be suitable for you.

— George

Research continues to explore the relationship between oral health and general health and wellbeing.

In this episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, Andrew Huberman discusses a range of topics relating to oral health, including the oral microbiome, tooth decay, gum health, saliva, fluoride and daily oral-care habits.

It’s an interesting discussion and a reminder that looking after our teeth and gums is an important part of looking after our health.

What matters for your oral health?

The fundamentals remain refreshingly simple:

• Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.

• Clean between your teeth regularly using floss or interdental brushes appropriate for you.

• Limit how frequently your teeth are exposed to sugary foods and drinks.

• Maintain regular dental and dental hygiene care based on your individual oral-health needs and risk factors.

• If you’re unsure which toothpaste, mouthwash or other oral-care products are appropriate for you, ask your dental professional.

At SMOOCH Dental Spa, we enjoy keeping up with developments in oral-health research and sharing conversations that may be of interest to our patients.

Research into the relationship between oral health and general health continues to evolve. An association between oral health and a particular health condition does not necessarily mean that one causes the other.

If you’re interested in the science behind oral health, you may enjoy listening to the full discussion above.