At Home Whitening

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At Home Tooth Whitening

Hydrogen peroxide has been used for many years to bleach teeth.  In past years, it was usually applied only by dentists, who used heat and/or light to accelerate its bleaching action.  In recent years, a highly effective technique has been found that allows patients to bleach their teeth at home – although only when supervised by a dentist. *

The “at home” technique of bleaching teeth does not require heat or light, and allows you to monitor your own progress.  The amount of color change depends on the length of time you wear the tray each day and the number of weeks you continue the treatment.  The results can be unpredictable.  Although effects may be noticed as early as a few days, many patients report that a minimum of two weeks is required to see a color change.  Peroxide bleaching in custom-fitted trays is thus the fastest and most painless method known.

* In the past, hydrogen peroxide was considered to be a cosmetic agent only.  However, the US Food and Drug Administration is now considering registering this chemical as a drug to assure its proper use and dentist supervision.

The Procedure:
  • One or two hours before bedtime, brush and floss your teeth, in order to clean them before placement of the tray. Rinse well.
  • Place a “pin drop ” amount of gel in each tooth compartment in the tray. Remember this is a guideline only – if you have small teeth, use a smaller “gel drop”. Conversely, if you have larger teeth, use a slightly larger drop. Each syringe has 6 treatment doses. Use up to one dose per tray.
Possible Side Effects:
  • Some patients have reported that teeth become sensitive to cold and biting pressure for a short time during and after treatments. The discomfort normally does not last for an extended time. If, however, your teeth continue to be sensitive, stop using the bleaching gel and call us.
  • Your gingiva or gums may react to the bleaching gel by creating gum sensitivity. If it does, simply decrease the amount of bleaching gel in tray, or return to the office so we can trim the appliance in order to reduce the amount of bleaching gel in contact with the gum tissue.
  • If bleaching trays are worn too long during any given day, discomfort in your jaw points may occur. This discomfort will go away when the bleaching trays are removed.