Cosmetic dentistry · UK
Professional teeth whitening, by a GDC-registered dentist.
Home tray, in-chair power whitening or Enlighten Evolution 3 to a guaranteed B1 target shade. Done under prescription in a CQC-registered dental practice, up to the legal 6% hydrogen peroxide limit.
Indicative pricing
What professional whitening costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner dental practices.
In short
£280–£1,400, a lift of 6 to 8 shades.
| Treatment | Indicative range | Typical duration | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental assessment, shade record and photos | £80–£180 | 30 min | Same visit |
| Home tray whitening (custom trays + gel, 10 or 16%) | £280–£450 | 2–3 weeks | 2 visits |
| In-chair power whitening (Zoom, Boost, Philips) | £450–£800 | 45–90 min | Single visit |
| Enlighten Evolution 3 (home tray + in-chair, B1 target) | £850–£1,400 | 3 weeks | 3 visits |
| Internal bleaching (single dark tooth, per tooth) | £280–£450 | 2–4 weeks | 2–3 visits |
| Top-up gel refill (for existing trays) | £45–£90 | 15 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by practice, by which dentist does the case, and by whether the Enlighten Evolution 3 guarantee is included. Private medical insurance does not cover cosmetic whitening.
The problem
The right dentist, the right system, the right shade goal.
Beauty-salon whitening is illegal in the UK and over-the-counter kits are legally capped at less than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide, which barely works. Dentist-prescribed whitening at 6% hydrogen peroxide or 16% carbamide peroxide is the only route to a real, safe result.
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Is whitening even right for your teeth?
Existing crowns, veneers and composite fillings do not whiten. Deep tetracycline staining rarely responds. Sometimes bonding or veneers is the honest answer.
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Worried about sensitivity?
Transient zinging affects 30 to 60% of patients. Managed with pre-treatment desensitising toothpaste, fluoride varnish and shorter wear times.
The journey
From first photo to final shade - what happens, in order.
One team from first message to your top-up plan.
- 03
Before
Dental assessment and impressions
A GDC-registered dentist checks for decay, gum disease and exposed dentine, records your baseline shade with Vita Classical or 3D-Master and takes tray impressions.
- 04
On the day
Trays fitted or in-chair session
Home tray: nightly gel for 2 to 3 weeks. In-chair: a 45 to 90 minute session with 6% hydrogen peroxide, with or without light activation.
- 05
On the day
White diet for 48 hours
Avoid coffee, red wine, curry and turmeric for 48 hours after any in-chair session. Written aftercare and desensitising toothpaste to take home.
- 06
After
Shade review and top-up plan
A shade review at 2 to 4 weeks. A top-up plan of 1 to 2 nights per month with the home tray to hold your result long-term.
When it helps
When whitening is the right step - and when bonding wins.
The staining patterns we see most, plus the ones where composite bonding or porcelain veneers give a better result than any whitening system can.
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General age-related yellowing
The commonest reason to whiten. Home tray or in-chair whitening lifts most cases by 6 to 8 shades on the Vita Classical scale.
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Coffee, tea, red wine and turmeric staining
Chromogen surface stains lift very well with any of the three main options. A hygienist clean before starting often helps.
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Smoking and tobacco staining
Yellow-brown extrinsic stains respond well to whitening, but staining will return without a change in habit.
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Fluorosis (mild to moderate white flecks)
Mild fluorosis often improves as the whole tooth lightens and the contrast reduces. Deeper fluorosis may need microabrasion or bonding.
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Single dark tooth after trauma or root canal
A non-vital tooth that has darkened from the inside is treated with internal bleaching through the access cavity, not tray whitening.
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Pre-wedding or pre-photo shade goal
A defined target date and target shade. Enlighten Evolution 3 is the most predictable route to a B1 target shade.
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Deep tetracycline staining
Grey banding from childhood tetracycline rarely responds fully to whitening. Composite bonding or porcelain veneers usually give a better result.
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Not suitable: decay, gum disease, exposed dentine
Whitening is not started until any active decay is restored, any active gum disease is treated and exposed root dentine is protected.
Whitening options
Three main routes, plus internal bleaching for a single dark tooth.
What each option actually involves. All are prescribed by a GDC-registered dentist, up to the legal 6% hydrogen peroxide or 16% carbamide peroxide limit.
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Home tray whitening
Custom trays made from impressions. You apply 10 or 16% carbamide peroxide gel (Boutique, Enlighten, Opalescence, Pola Night) nightly for 2 to 3 weeks. 6 to 8 shade lift.
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In-chair power whitening
A single 45 to 90 minute session with 6% hydrogen peroxide (Zoom, Philips Zoom, Boost), with or without light activation. Results comparable to trays, faster.
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Enlighten Evolution 3 (combined)
2 weeks of home tray + 1 in-chair session. The only whitening system that guarantees a B1 target shade for the vast majority of patients.
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Internal (non-vital) bleaching
For a single darkened tooth after trauma or root canal. Sodium perborate or hydrogen peroxide is placed inside the tooth via the access cavity, refreshed every 3 to 7 days.
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Sensitivity management
Potassium nitrate desensitising toothpaste for 2 weeks before and during. Fluoride varnish, ProArgin serum, and shorter wear times if the teeth zing.
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Existing crowns and veneers
Porcelain and composite do not whiten. If you have front crowns or veneers, whitening is done first and matching restorations are replaced afterwards to the new shade.
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Composite bonding to the new shade
When enamel damage, chips or shape issues sit alongside colour, bonding after whitening rebuilds the tooth to the lighter target shade.
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Second-opinion shade plan
A dentist review of your photos, existing restorations and shade goal to tell you honestly whether whitening, bonding or veneers is the right route.
Safety and the law
What to expect - and why salons are illegal.
Dentist-prescribed whitening is one of the safest cosmetic dental treatments. The things worth planning are sensitivity, the 48-hour white diet, existing restorations and your top-up plan.
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Transient sensitivity in 30 to 60% of patients
Short zinging sensations for 24 to 48 hours after each session. Managed with potassium nitrate toothpaste, shorter wear times and fluoride varnish.
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Gum irritation from poorly fitting trays
A tray that overhangs the gum allows gel onto soft tissue and can whiten the gum temporarily. A properly relieved custom tray avoids this.
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No long-term enamel damage
Systematic reviews of dentist-prescribed whitening at 6 to 16% peroxide show no clinically significant loss of enamel hardness or surface morphology.
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White diet for 48 hours after in-chair sessions
The enamel is temporarily more porous straight after in-chair whitening. Avoid coffee, red wine, curry, tomato sauce and turmeric for 48 hours.
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Existing crowns and veneers do not change colour
Porcelain and composite are colour-stable. Any front restorations that no longer match are usually replaced 2 to 4 weeks after whitening finishes.
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Top-up 1 to 2 nights per month
A single night of tray gel every 4 to 6 weeks holds the result long-term. Most patients get 3 to 5 years from one initial course with sensible top-ups.
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Do not whiten during pregnancy or breastfeeding
There is no evidence of harm, but professional consensus is to defer whitening until after pregnancy and breastfeeding as a precaution.
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Not suitable under 18
The Cosmetic Products Regulation restricts tooth whitening to patients aged 18 and over, except for the treatment of disease under a dentist.
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Red flag: whitening from a beauty salon
Illegal in the UK. Beauty therapists cannot legally whiten teeth. Prosecutions by the General Dental Council are ongoing, and chemical burns are the risk.
Related treatments
Other dental and cosmetic routes worth considering.
FAQs
The questions patients ask us.
A short, honest set.
Is professional teeth whitening safe?
Yes. Dentist-prescribed whitening in the UK is limited to 6% hydrogen peroxide or 16% carbamide peroxide and has an excellent long-term safety record. Systematic reviews show transient sensitivity in 30 to 60% of patients and no clinically significant enamel damage. Over-the-counter kits are legally limited to less than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide and are largely ineffective.
Why is beauty-salon whitening illegal in the UK?
Only GDC-registered dental professionals can legally provide tooth whitening under the Dentists Act 1984. A beauty therapist whitening your teeth is committing the illegal practice of dentistry. Salons often use unregulated peroxide concentrations and poorly fitting trays, and prosecutions for chemical burns to gums and lips are ongoing.
How much does professional whitening cost in the UK?
Home tray whitening is £280 to £450, in-chair power whitening £450 to £800, and Enlighten Evolution 3 combined £850 to £1,400. Internal bleaching of a single dark tooth is £280 to £450. Your dental assessment and shade record is £80 to £180.
Will my teeth be sensitive afterwards?
Between 30 and 60% of patients get short zinging sensations for 24 to 48 hours. We start you on a potassium nitrate desensitising toothpaste 2 weeks before, apply fluoride varnish at the end of an in-chair session, and shorten your tray wear time if needed. Sensitivity almost always settles within a week of finishing.
Will crowns and veneers whiten too?
No. Porcelain and composite are colour-stable and do not respond to peroxide. If you have front crowns or veneers, whitening is done on your natural teeth first, then the restorations are replaced 2 to 4 weeks later to match the new shade.
Does private medical insurance cover teeth whitening?
No. Bupa, AXA Health, Vitality, Aviva and other UK insurers class tooth whitening as a cosmetic procedure and do not cover it. Dental insurance plans occasionally include a small annual whitening allowance, but whitening is almost always paid for privately.
Ready to whiten your teeth safely?
A dentist-prescribed whitening plan, quoted in one working day.
Send a smile photo and your shade goal.