Whitening

The ADA's consumer site, MouthHealthy, explains whitening this way: "Teeth whitening is a simple process. Whitening products contain one of two tooth bleaches (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide). These bleaches break stains into smaller pieces, which makes the color less concentrated and your teeth brighter."

Education, not a dental practice. Florida Smile Works does not examine, diagnose, or treat.

Short answer

Whitening done in a dental office has a name. MouthHealthy says: "This procedure is called chairside bleaching and usually requires only one office visit. The dentist will apply either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect your gums. Bleach is then applied to the teeth."

What a Florida reader should know

MouthHealthy is a national consumer page from the American Dental Association. It is not Florida law. In Florida, dentists are licensed through the Florida Board of Dentistry, and you can verify a license on the Board's site yourself.

What to do next

1. Read MouthHealthy's teeth whitening page.
2. Verify the dentist's license yourself with "Verify a License" on the Florida Board of Dentistry site. See Choose a dentist for more to check.
3. Ask a licensed dentist the questions below.

Questions worth asking a licensed dentist

• "Which tooth bleach would you use on my teeth, hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide?"
• "Would chairside bleaching take one office visit for me?"
• "How will you protect my gums, with a protective gel or a rubber shield?"
• "What is your Florida license number?"

Sources

• MouthHealthy (American Dental Association), Teeth Whitening. Read 2026-10-04.
• Florida Board of Dentistry, home. Read 2026-10-04.