Home Care Instructions: In-Office Whitening
At Home Teeth Whitening Instructions
- Brush and floss teeth prior to wearing the trays. To dispense whitening material, first remove the cap and put on the tip. Place a small dot on the front of each tooth in the tray. Do not overfill the try. Replace cap to retain syringe for next treatment until empty. Each syringe contains approximately3-5 treatments.
- Insert whitening tray in mouth over teeth. Seat the tray firmly against teeth.
- Wipe excess material from gum with your finger or toothbrush. Wear the tray with gel as directed by your dentist. (A minimum of 1- 1½ hours.)
- Remove tray and rinse off your teeth. Brush any remaining gel away.
- Clean whitening tray with a toothbrush and warm water and carefully wipe dry. Store in the tray holder or on your models.
*Note: Sore throat or nausea may be experienced if excessive gel is swallowed. If you experience discomfort or sensitivity consult your dentist for the next appropriate steps.
DO NOT eat, drink, or smoke while the whitening tray is in place.
Caution: Keep out of reach of children. Use only under the supervision of a licensed dentist. Refrigerate whitening gel when not in use for more than two weeks. Keep away from direct sunlight.
We recommend that you AVOID the following for the next 24 hours:
- Red wine
- Dark sodas
- Coffee/tea
- Red sauces
- Mustard
- Ketchup
- Soy sauce and A-1 sauce
- Smoking
- Any other substances that would stain a white shirt
Here are some drinks and foods that you can consume for the next 24 hours:
- Milk
- Water
- Clear soda
- Bananas and apples (not the peels!)
- White bread
- Flour tortillas
- Oatmeal and cream of wheat
- Plain yogurt
- White cheese/sour cream/cottage cheese
- White rice
- Baked potatoes
- Plain pasta with white sauce
- Turkey
- Chicken breast (no skin)
- White fish
You may also experience some tooth sensitivity during this period. If you do have any sensitivity symptoms, you may take whatever you would normally use for a headache.
Whitening works best on yellow-stained teeth. Gray teeth are more difficult to whiten or may not respond to treatment. Such cases may require porcelain veneers to achieve the desired improvements. Also, keep in mind that long-term results vary from patient to patient. This can depend on many lifestyle factors, including exposure to coffee, tea, wine, soda, or smoking.