At Home Teeth Whitening

A bright, white smile can give you great confidence and can improve your overall appearance. Unfortunately, most of us deal with yellowed or stained teeth thanks to various sources like coffee and tea. If you have discolored teeth, you might be interested in a wide range of whitening products and techniques that are available.

Over-the-counter whitening products, like the ones you can buy at the drugstore, are convenient. But can you be confident about how well they work? And how long do they take before you see results? On the other end of the spectrum, in-office dental whitening procedures can be highly effective. But getting to the dentist’s office can be a hassle.

Prescription-strength at-home whitening kits are the best of both worlds. They combine more substantial levels of whitening like you would get in the dentist’s office with the convenience of whitening at home.

At-home teeth whitening kits generally don’t cause any pain, and the whitening gel that we use can even help prevent cavities. Believe it or not, our in-home bleaching kits are more effective and yet gentler on your gums than what you can get at the big box store.

Curious what this process looks like? We’ll answer your questions below.

Making an Impression Starts with an Impression

The first step in dentist-prescribed at-home whitening is to come in for a regular dental checkup and screening. It’s important to get your teeth professionally cleaned before you begin the whitening process, and your dentist also needs to check for tooth decay or gum disease.

Once your dentist clears you for at-home whitening, he will make an impression of your teeth and then create a custom fit mouth tray. It doesn’t take long to create these, so you should be able to leave the office with your mouth trays.

Our at-home bleaching system is not complicated, but it’s still a good idea to get a walkthrough from a professional. One of our qualified staff members will explain how to use this system, how much of the solution to use per treatment, and what adjustments you should make to get the best results.

How to Do At-Home Bleaching

Once you’re home with your bleaching trays and solution, the next steps are pretty simple. Simply fill each tray with the provided solution (either concentrated hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) And slide it over your teeth. You should experience a snug fit and no leakage.

Always follow the instructions your dentist provides, but generally, those instructions will include these points:

• Brush and floss before putting on your trays.
• Wear the trays with solution for an hour each day for two weeks.
• While wearing the trays, do not eat, drink or smoke.
• Don’t eat or drink for 30 minutes after removing the trays.

After completing a two-week treatment, you’ll visit your dentist again to evaluate your progress and discuss whether another round is right for you.

Ready to Discuss At-Home Whitening?

If you’re interested in pursuing at home whitening here at Espire Dental, we’re ready to help! Book an appointment today to get started.