Bleaching (Whitening) Teeth Outside the Dental Office

Bleaching must be accomplished before doing any fillings, crowns, bridges, or partial dentures. Please advise us if you want to lighten your teeth.

Hydrogen peroxide has been used successfully for many years to lighten the color of teeth. Originally, it was applied only by dentists. Now, patients may also apply bleaching gels to their teeth at home. Although tooth bleaching compounds can be purchased by patients in pharmacies or grocery stores, the most effective bleaching techniques may be obtained from dentists. It is preferable for dentists or dental staff to supervise bleaching. If bleaching is not supervised, crowns and fillings present in your mouth may not match natural tooth structure after bleaching. Bleaching teeth with perioxide in custom-fitted trays outside the dental office is the most popular method to achieve whitening of teeth.

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS:
1. Tooth Sensitivity: This condition can be minimized if bleaching times are reduced, or it is eliminated if bleaching is discontinued for a few days. Post-bleaching application of fluoride as described below reduces sensitivity.
2. Gum Tenderness: Occasionally, gum tissues become irritated, and sometimes a mild sloughing of the superficial layers of the gums occurs. Reduction of bleaching time or eliminations of bleach stops the sloughing.

PATIENT INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Brush and floss your teeth. Rinse your mouth well.
2. Place a small amount of bleaching gel into each tooth space in the provided trays for every tooth to be lightened.
3. Insert the trays into your mouth over the teeth, wipe the excess gel off the gum tissue with your finger or a towel, expectorate (spit out) the excess gel and foam, and keep the loaded trays in your mouth for 1 hour.
4. If you desire to accelerate the bleach, remove the trays, wash the gel out, dry the trays with tissue paper, reload the trays, and replace them into your mouth for another hour.
5. After completing the bleaching procedure, place several drops of 1.1% neutral sodium fluoride gel into washed and dried trays and place the trays into your mouth for 5 minutes. This chemical will help lessen sensitivity and must be provided to you by us. Some brands of bleach may have desensitizing chemicals already in them. Ask your dentist.
6. Rinse the trays with tap water after use, and tip them upside down to allow them to dry before the next use.
7. Discontinue bleaching if tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, or any other negative event occurs. Notify us of the problem immediately, and we will advise you.