Does whitening hurt?

Bleaching can sometimes cause discomfort if you have sensitive teeth, where the gum has receded leaving the neck of the tooth exposed, or there’s a crack in the tooth. Carbamide peroxide is a slower acting bleach that can help in the case of sensitivity.

‘Dentists will carry out a sensitivity assessment,’ said Ben. ‘It’s possible to give a desensitising treatment in advance using potassium nitrate, which blocks the pores in the dentine and prevents the nerves in the teeth working quite as effectively. Potassium nitrate is also the active ingredient in toothpaste formulated to help sensitivity.’