Having whiter teeth is at the top of many wish lists. At a time when we are surrounded by celebrities with whiter than white smiles, it’s only natural to want to lighten the appearance of your own teeth. With a number of different options available for professional teeth whitening, it can be difficult to know which to choose without having all the facts in front of you. As there are too many treatments to cover them all, in this article we’ll look at two of the most popular treatments – Enlighten Teeth Whitening and Philips Zoom Teeth Whitening – to see which might be the most suitable for you. 

Key facts about Enlighten Teeth Whitening 

Enlighten is typically a treatment that combines two processes to get the best results – at-home whitening and in-clinic whitening. Though, many dental practices also offer just the at-home whitening treatment, which is a good cost effective option.   

The key benefits of Enlighten teeth whitening include:

• Whitens the teeth to a guaranteed Vita B1 shade – the lightest of any professional teeth whitening system. 
• Delivers quick results in as little as 2-4 weeks, though you’ll probably start to notice a difference within a few days. 
• Uses revolutionary technology – as it’s the only whitening system to lighten your teeth up to 16 shades. 
• You can choose from in-house or at-home whitening or both, to suit your needs and budget. 
• You’ll experience minimal pain thanks to the serum provided to reduce sensitivity. 

Things you might like to consider before booking your treatment include: 

• It will probably take around 3 weeks from your initial consultation to your custom made mouth trays being created, ready for a fortnight of at-home whitening, followed by an in-clinic treatment to seal in the whiteness and enhance the overall results. 
• You may need to steer clear of certain highly coloured foods and drinks such as red wine, black coffee or tomato rich foods during your treatment. 

• You may find this treatment more expensive than other whitening systems, due to the fact it can lighten up to Vita B1 shade and also includes an in-clinic laser treatment. 

Key facts about Zoom Teeth Whitening 

Philips Zoom teeth whitening is a professional treatment that is carried out at your dental practice. There are also Zoom take home teeth whitening kits that enable you to lighten your teeth from the comfort of your own home. 

The key benefits of Zoom teeth whitening include: 

• With the in-clinic treatment your teeth can be whitened in just one dental appointment lasting around one hour. 
• The procedure is safe and effective. 
• The treatment can lighten your teeth up to 8 shades, making it a great choice for those looking for a top up or a quick fix. 
• The in-clinic procedure is a scientifically advanced laser whitening treatment which results in minimal pain and discomfort. 
• You can choose to have at-home whitening instead and receive custom made trays and gel for use overnight or daily and expect to see results in as little as 7-10 days. 

Factors to take into consideration before opting for this treatment: 

• It might feel a little uncomfortable when undergoing the in-clinic whitening procedure as a rubber dam is placed over your teeth and lips and a bleaching gel is applied and activated by shining a UV light on your teeth. 
• You may experience some tooth sensitivity during treatment. 
• If your teeth are particularly dark or stained, you may not get the results you want when using the at-home whitening system. 

If you want to know whether your teeth are suitable for a whitening treatment and if so, which system would be best for you, it’s advisable to contact a dental practice that specialises in teeth whitening. 

Riverside Dental Spa is a private dental practice offering both Zoom and Enlighten teeth whitening in London. For more information you can visit their website riversidedentalspa.com.