Teeth Whitening Gel Info

If you want to achieve a bright, white smile, you should look into getting teeth whitening gels that work. It will make your teeth several shades lighter over the course of the procedure, which lasts from 1 – 4 weeks. The gel is placed in a custom fitting plastic tray with bleach, which is then applied to your teeth. The tray is well made and will stay secured. There are even custom-made trays to precisely fit your mouth in particular. The tray will ensure that the gel will stay on your teeth without leaking, maximizing both safety and effectiveness.

The gel has carbamide peroxide as the main ingredient. This will remove staining and discoloration that toothpaste can’t get rid of. It is safe to use if you are following basic instructions. During a standard whitening procedure, it will not do much harm to the tooth enamel, although you shouldn’t use it excessively. In any case, too much use leads to over-whitening, so you should only apply it as necessary to get a pearly white appearance. Lesser staining can be removed by weaker gel concentrations, while stronger varieties will remove the toughest stains.

At-home teeth whitening gel comes with different levels of peroxide content. This can be 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, or 35% at the most. This allows you to choose which level of chemical action is best for your particular dental situation. Those with teeth sensitivity issues may prefer lower concentrations, but this shouldn’t be too problematic in general. Higher concentrations are worn for 30 minutes to an hour, while low concentrations should be worn overnight. You may prefer one way or the other, which could influence your decision. In general, the gel is applied daily for a few weeks, and no longer than 1 month to achieve the desired effects.

One very pertinent question about whitening gel is whether it can be used with previous dental work. In most cases, previous dental work will not at all be an issue for gel whitening. In fact, metal fillings and porcelain work can have their proper color restored, as the whitening gel can remove stains from these surfaces too. Composite or resin fillings can also be cleaned by the bleaching agent. However, tooth amalgams present an issue with their mercury content. Although they are usually safe, they may have a reaction with the cleaning agent, so you should consult with a dental professional if you have amalgam.

One type of work you should avoid is braces. You should never whiten teeth with braces. They make it impossible to use the gel and tray properly. Even if you did, they would leave discolored squares on your teeth when they come off.

So in conclusion, braces are not workable, and you should be careful with amalgam. But most dental work will not present an issue for gel whitening.