Teeth whitening can help remove stains and make your teeth whiter, giving you the confidence to smile more. If you are looking into making your teeth white again, the first question you might ask is how much teeth whitening costs in Singapore? Our teeth are white but will discolour over time as we age. We use our teeth every day, so there will be wear and tear on the enamel. It can cause the teeth to be translucent and appear yellow or even darker over time. Other causes of tooth discolouration can be from the food you eat. Food and beverages with high sugar content may have acidic properties that can stain your teeth. Drinking coffee, smoking, or chewing tobacco can also stain and discolour your teeth. When the teeth are severely discoloured, one of the solutions is to do dental whitening. Contents Our teeth have two layers: an inner dentin layer and an external enamel layer. The enamel layer is porous, which means stains can get in and cause discolouration to the teeth. Teeth whitening solutions penetrate the enamel layer. An activator can help, either from a source of light or heat. An oxidation reaction sets off reacting with the discoloured molecules of the teeth. This, in turn, results in whitening the teeth.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Brushing your teeth and practising good dental hygiene can keep teeth from getting superficially stained or discoloured. But, when discolouration is at a deeper level, teeth whitening can help solve the issue.
How Much Does Teeth Whitening Cost in Singapore?
Generally, you can get teeth whitening in two ways: you can either do it yourself by getting take-home teeth whitening kits or have the dentist administer it in-office.
Teeth whitening kits with more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide can only be sold at the dentist’s discretion following a professional evaluation. Let’s look into each one of these methods and see how much teeth whitening costs in Singapore.
Professional Take-Home Teeth Whitening Kits
Although there are cheaper alternatives that you can buy over-the-counter, it is not advisable to get them as the hydrogen peroxide level is either too low to be effective or the generic fitting of the tray/strip is not suitable for you, especially if the tray/strip’s generic fitting is not your teeth are not straight.
It is best to get a customised take-home teeth whitening kit by the dentist to ensure it is safe and effective. A professional take-home kit from a dental clinic would cost around $300+GST
One common popular take-home teeth whitening given by dentists is the Opalescence teeth whitening system.
Opalescence has a potent bleaching agent that can penetrate the tooth enamel. This bleaching agent breaks down the molecules that cause stains and discolouration.
Opalescence whitening kits come in four different concentrations and three different flavours. Opalescence comes in 10%, 15%, 20%, and 35% carbamide peroxide concentrations. You can also choose between regular, mint, and melon flavours. Results can be seen after just one treatment session. However, you can expect noticeable results in about a week.
Compared to over-the-counter alternatives, Opalescence is more effective in getting rid of stains and whitening the teeth. It contains fluoride and potassium nitrate, which aids in the preservation of enamel health during the whitening procedure.
Potassium nitrate and fluoride have been found to help prevent cavities, reduce sensitivity, increase enamel hardness, and improve the general health of your teeth.
The opalescence take-home whitening kit comes with a customised whitening tray that your dentist creates from an impression of your mouth. This ensures the effectiveness of the teeth whitening gel as the gel won’t leak onto your gums from the tray.
4 Steps in Using Opalescence Take-Home Whitening Kits
Step 1: Load a continuous bead of gel halfway up the tray’s face side from end to end. This would use approximately ⅓ of a syringe per tray.
Step 2: Insert the tray carefully in your mouth and fit them over your teeth. Tap softly to adjust the sides of your teeth. Depending on the concentration of Opalescence you use, wear time may vary.
- Opalescence 10%: 8–10 hours or overnight
- Opalescence 15%: 4–6 hours
- Opalescence 20%: 2–4 hours
- Opalescence 35%: 30 minutes
Step 3: Remove the tray and clean any excess gel off of your teeth using a soft toothbrush or simple rinsing with water. Rinse your mouth twice and make sure not to swallow any excess gel.
Step 4: You should clean the tray with a soft brush and cool tap water, and store it in a cool, dry place.
If significant sensitivity is experienced during the whitening kit, it is advised to top the whitening treatment and consult your dentist.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
In-office whitening is the safest and most effective teeth whitening. Teeth whitening administered directly by dentists contains at least 35% hydrogen peroxide compared to 0.1% OTC product. This helps the in-office teeth whitening procedure be carried out more effectively and faster.
Before the whitening appointment, which takes approximately 45 minutes, you will need to make a consultation appointment for an assessment to ensure that the in-office teeth whitening is a suitable solution for you.
One of the most popular brands of in-office whitening is Zoom teeth whitening treatment. This in-office treatment can whiten teeth up to eight shades whiter in suitable cases. Because of its light-activated technology, each session only takes 45 mins to complete.
In-office teeth whitening can cost around $1200+GST. It may be more expensive than the other alternatives, but you will achieve whiter teeth safer and more effectively since a dentist is in charge of the entire process.
Now that you know how much teeth whitening costs in Singapore, you can consider and weigh your options. No matter what option you choose, you need to remember that you can still stain your teeth even after a teeth whitening treatment.
With that in mind, it is best to practice good dental hygiene to maintain your pearly whites. Avoid food and beverages that can stain or discolour your teeth.
If you are unsure about which teeth whitening option to choose, it is best to consult your dentist for professional advice.
