Teeth Whitening Instructions
At Home:
- Brush and floss teeth. Take a syringe out of the kit. Remove the cap and insert a dispensing tip by twisting it securely onto the syringe.
- Place a small drop of gel into every compartment of the tray for the teeth undergoing treatment.
- Seat the tray with the gel around your teeth.
- Wipe away any excess gel on the gums with your finger, a tissue, or a dry soft toothbrush.
- Wear the trays in your mouth for 45 minutes to 2 hours, no more than once a day.
- After treatment, remove the tray. Rinse tray and mouth with lukewarm water to avoid thermal sensitivity.
- Brush teeth. Repeat the procedure daily until all material is used.
Suggestions to Maximize Your Results:
- During the time you are whitening, and for 48 hours after, avoid or minimize:
- Smoking
- Highly colored foods (red sauce, blueberries, etc.)
- Dark beverages (coffee, tea, etc.) – basically anything that would stain a white shirt.
- Mild sensitivity to hot or cold liquids may occur. This usually passes within 1–2 days. If sensitivity is severe or persists, contact our office.
- If you experience gum sensitivity, do not brush the afflicted area while brushing your teeth.
- Immediate whitening results can be quite dramatic due to minor dehydration of your teeth. It is normal for the color to tone down somewhat after treatment when your teeth rehydrate to a natural white tone.
- Long-term results vary from patient to patient. This can depend on the original shade of your teeth and habits such as smoking or drinking colored beverages (red wine, coffee, tea, etc.).
- “Touch-up” treatments are recommended every 6–12 months to retain color.
- Existing fillings, crowns, bonding, etc., will not whiten. Therefore, these may need to be changed in order to match your new smile.
- If your family or friends notice your new smile, let them know that we can help improve their smile, too!
Important Notes:
- We recommend using the whitening material once a day for as many consecutive days as possible to get the best results. The amount of material used for each application varies by individual and is affected by tooth size and the number of teeth treated; therefore, the number of days a kit lasts varies from person to person. Typically, a starter kit lasts 10–14 days.
- Whitening is not a once-in-a-lifetime event — your results will fade over time. How long whitening lasts varies between individuals and depends on several factors, including age, starting tooth shade, history of trauma to teeth, diet, oral hygiene, and smoking.
- We recommend maintaining your whitening results with a touch-up syringe once every 6 months. Whitening is most effective after having your teeth professionally cleaned, and regular maintenance requires less work and less material.
