Teeth Whitening Options

There are two options. The first option is an in-office treatment. Several different companies - like Rembrandt, Bright Smile and Zoom - all work with a light-activated whitening gels to whiten the teeth. The base component in the gel is about 30%-35% hydrogen peroxide. During the procedure the gums are covered to avoid any burns on the gums or the lips. And the procedure usually takes somewhere between 1 hour and 1 ½ hours. A second option is whitening with at-home bleaching trays. The trays have improved over the years. In the past patients wore their trays at night while they slept. They would have the trays in their mouth for somewhere between 6 to 8 hours. Now treatments have been reduced to an hour; for sensitive patients, even 20 minutes is enough. Treatments are done for one hour a day for five to seven days and patients can even skip days. One key thing that people have to remember after professional whitening or at-home whitening, is that for the two days following a treatment, no staining substances should be consumed. The teeth are more susceptible to staining during this time.