Instructions for tooth whitening
Prior to treatment
Brush and floss just prior to bleaching your teeth. The whitening gel is the most effective
with clean teeth. Try the trays in first without any bleach to check the fit and comfort. Make
sure that the bleaching trays are clean and dry before applying the whitening gel. Moisture
reduces the efficiency of the whitening gel and slows down the whitening process
Applying the bleaching gel
When you apply the gel make sure not to fill the trays. Place a SMALL drop of tooth
whitening gel half way up on the inner front surface of tray (in the front of each tooth in the
tray). Do not spread the bleach around. Recap the syringe for next treatment until empty.
The average treatment per arch requires approximately 0.5ml of whitening gel. I
recommend that you only bleach the front 6-8 teeth as no one sees the back teeth
Inserting the bleaching trays
Insert the whitening tray in the mouth over the teeth. Seat the tray completely and firmly
against the teeth. Gently press with your fingers to adapt the tray to the teeth. Excessive
pressure expresses too much gel out of the tray. Wipe the excess gel, which seeps over the
brim of the tray onto your gums. Wipe the excess gel off of the gums with your finger, tissue
or Q-tip. Wear the tray with the gel as directed below.
Wearing time
Wearing time depends on the type of whitening gel you have. You may wear your trays overnight if you have “night gels” (16% carbamide peroxide) or a few hours a day if you have “day gels” (8% Hydrogen peroxide). Please follow the instructions on the whitening gels box or ask me if you are unsure.
Conduct your whitening session once per day until desired level of whitening is attained.
NOTE – You may skip days between whitening sessions to minimise sensitivities. This will
not affect the cumulative whitening process.
After whitening
Remove the tray and rinse off your teeth. Brush any remaining gel away. Brush, floss and
continue routine dental cleaning.
Caring for your trays and gel
Clean whitening trays with a toothbrush or Q-tip and cold water. Store trays in the tray
holder and gel in cool dry place away from heat and direct sunlight.
What to expect
You may expect some slight gum sensitivity from wearing the trays, and your teeth
may feel very slightly sensitive. In case of increased sensitivity reduce usage time
and/or frequency until the sensitivity subsides and consider using a toothpaste for sensitivity (Sensodyne for example)
You may notice that your teeth start to look “funny”. They may develop white spots.
The area of the teeth near the gum line may look dark (this is because the rest of the
tooth has become so light in comparison). Also, the colour may appear too opaque
(chalky). This will all even-out.
You may also notice some teeth are not white enough, while the the others are white enough (this usually happens with the canines). In this case once you are happy with the overall shade of your teeth you can place the gels only on these teeth which are still discoloured continue the treatment for a few more days until the desired result is achieved.
For effective results
Do not eat, drink or smoke during treatment (when you have your trays and
bleaching gel in your mouth).
Do not smoke immediately on removing yours trays/bleaching gel – wait for at least
2 hours.
During the two weeks of at-home whitening, stay away from or reduce consumption of foods and drinks containing strong colours, such as red wine, coffee, blueberries. Any food or beverage which would permanently stain a white shirt or blouse could also stain your teeth. If possible, when drinking a staining beverage, it may help to keep the beverage off the outer surface of the teeth by carefully drinking through a straw.
Smoking should also be held to the very minimum during the whitening process. These precautions should be followed during the whitening process and for at least a week after the completion of whitening.
Other Information
You may wish to repeat the procedure once in while (once a few months) to maintain the whiteness of your teeth,
You can use your whitening trays again and again and whitening gels for maintenance are available to purchase from the practice.
Teeth with Silver fillings may leave a purple residue in the tray after you take it out;
this is all right. If possible do NOT skip days when whitening. We find that this slows
down the whitening process
Storage and Handling
Store the whitening gel in a cool place and out of direct sunlight. Please refer to the instructions in the whitening gels box.
Do not use gel after its expiration date.
Store your whitening trays safely. Keep them away from heat – heat will distort
them.
Do not leave them in the hot car.
Do not put or wash them in warm or hot water and do not be tempted to place them
in a dishwasher.
Keep your trays away from your dog. Dogs seem to think that whitening trays are
chew-toys.
Most importantly, place the trays carefully in the storage case that we give you. Store them LOOSELY so that they are
not bent or crushed, as this will damage them and you will not be able to re-use
them.
PROTECT AND KEEP YOUR TRAYS AS YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO USE THEM IN
THE FUTURE!
Precautions
Keep bleaching gel out of reach of children.
Do NOT use if you are pregnant or lactating.
Do not use if you are under 18 years of age.
Patients with a history of chemical allergies are advised to carry out allergy testing by
a specialist before using the bleaching gel.
Discontinue use if any unusual sensitivity or gum reactions occur. Consult me!