Glo professional whitening
GLO professional whitening is an in-office tooth-brightening treatment that uses peroxide gel and a dental light.
The short answer
GLO professional whitening is an in-office tooth-brightening treatment in which a peroxide-based gel is applied to the teeth and used with a GLO light. A dentist first checks the teeth and gums, then adjusts the treatment to the type of staining and your sensitivity risk.
What does professional GLO whitening involve?
This question usually refers to professional bleaching with the GLO system, rather than a whitening toothpaste or a non-prescription strip. The active peroxide moves through enamel and dentine and breaks down some stain molecules, so the natural tooth colour becomes lighter; it does not bleach fillings, crowns, veneers, or other tooth-coloured restorations.
What should a dentist check before whitening your teeth?
A dentist examines the enamel, dentine, gums, existing restorations, and the source of the discoloration before whitening. The usual visit includes protecting the gums, placing peroxide gel on the visible tooth surfaces, activating or warming the gel with the GLO light as directed, removing and replacing the gel in treatment cycles, and checking the shade and comfort before finishing.
Brush gently with a fluoride toothpaste and follow the clinic's aftercare instructions. Tell the dentist about previous sensitivity, gum recession, cracks, untreated decay, pregnancy, medications, and any crowns or veneers in the smile zone, because these details can change whether whitening is suitable and how it is planned.
When should tooth or gum problems be treated before whitening?
Have an examination before whitening if a tooth has pain, a cavity, a crack, a dark single-tooth colour change, bleeding gums, exposed root surfaces, or an old leaking filling. A single dark tooth can reflect an injured or non-vital pulp and may need diagnostic tests rather than cosmetic bleaching alone.
During or after treatment, contact the dental clinic if pain is severe, lasts beyond the expected period, or is concentrated in one tooth, or if the gums become markedly irritated. The dentist can look for gel contact, decay, exposed dentine, a fractured restoration, or another cause that whitening will not correct.
What should you ask about stains and existing dental restorations?
Ask which stains are present, whether any decay or gum disease must be treated first, and whether the planned shade will match your fillings, crowns, or veneers. Also ask how the peroxide concentration and treatment cycles will be adapted for sensitivity, whether take-home trays are useful afterward, and what alternatives would address restorations that cannot change colour.
Frequently asked questions
Will GLO whitening change the colour of my veneers or crowns?
No. Whitening changes natural tooth structure, not the ceramic, resin, or other material in a veneer or crown. The dentist can discuss replacement, polishing, or a shade-matching plan if the colours no longer agree.
Why can whitening cause tooth sensitivity?
Peroxide can temporarily affect fluid movement through enamel and dentine, which may stimulate the tooth nerve. The dentist can reduce exposure, change the treatment interval, and check for exposed dentine, cracks, or decay that may increase sensitivity.
Can one dark tooth be treated with whitening?
It can require a different approach from general whitening. The dentist first checks the pulp and the tooth's history; an injured or non-vital tooth may need internal bleaching or restorative treatment instead of, or before, external whitening.
Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.