Teeth whitening is a purely cosmetic treatment that lightens discolouration caused by coffee, tea, red wine, smoking or the natural darkening of teeth with age. There are two broad approaches: in-office whitening at the practice, where the agent is more highly concentrated and sometimes activated with light, and home whitening using custom-fitted trays worn at home over several days.
Ideally the process starts with a dental check-up: cavities, leaking fillings or exposed tooth necks should be treated beforehand. Often a professional dental cleaning is done first so that plaque does not distort the result. The gums are then protected and the gel is applied. Important: crowns, bridges, veneers and fillings do not lighten along with the teeth – after whitening they may differ in colour.
Whitening makes sense when healthy but discoloured teeth should look brighter, for example before an event. For individual dark (non-vital) teeth, other procedures may be more suitable. Costs depend on the method, effort and practice, and are generally not covered by Swiss basic insurance.
Look for professional supervision rather than pure cosmetic products, honest information about realistic results and possible sensitivity, and aftercare guidance. Typical mistakes are overusing drugstore products and ignoring existing dental problems.