Patient Instruction Guide for At-Home Whitening

  1. Thoroughly brush and floss your teeth.
  2. Remove cap from the syringe tip. Apply a small drop of gel to the front side of each tooth that you would like to whiten. The amount of gel placed should be equivalent to the size of a sesame seed. Do not place gel on the inside surfaces of the teeth (this is a waste of gel as no one can see this surface of your tooth). You will be given 16% whitening gel for initial whitening. 10% gel can be used for touch-ups (when you want to whiten again months or years down the road).
  3. Place your custom trays over your teeth.
  4. Remove any excess gel from your gums using a soft toothbrush, tissue or clean finger. If you have to remove a lot of excess gel, you are putting too much in the trays.
  5. Ideally the quickest results will be with constant wear at night while you are sleeping. If you are unable to tolerate this, you can wear the tray(s) once or twice each day for one to two hours per application. Keep in mind that this will take MUCH longer and will take more gel to get the same results. The longer the trays are worn, the quicker your teeth will whiten.
  6. Remove your custom trays from your mouth, and rinse mouth thoroughly with water. Do not swallow the bleaching gel.
  7. Wait at least one hour following the removal of the whitening trays before brushing your teeth.
  8. Using a soft toothbrush, clean your trays with water. In order to avoid loss or damage to the custom trays, always store them in your tray case.
  9. Sometimes the whitening gel may cause temporary gum sensitivity or cold/heat sensitivity in the teeth. If you experience any of these symptoms, delay the treatment for a few days or more until the sensitivity goes away.
  10. Old fillings may occasionally leak during the whitening process, and thus cause sensitivity. These fillings may require replacement; however, your dentist will try to identify any potential concerns prior to the whitening treatment.
  11. Do not use desensitizing toothpastes while you are completing the whitening process. The active ingredient in desensitizing toothpastes closes up the tubules in your teeth, and thus does not allow the whitening gel to penetrate the tooth.
  12. You will be provided with enough whitening gel to obtain the best results possible with your teeth. Any extra gel required after the initial whitening process (for completing touch-ups) will be provided at a nominal cost.

Sometimes is it difficult to predict the effects of the whitening process on discoloured teeth. This is especially true with teeth that are darkly stained or that have multiple shades of colour. The dentists and their teams cannot predict or guarantee results; however, they will always endeavor to help patients to develop realistic goals.

Effective March 2019

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