How Do Whitening Gels Work?

It's natural to be curious or concerned about what's in dental whitening gel and how it works. Whitening gels have bleaching ingredients and are safe for most teeth. Most gels contain hydrogen peroxide and several other added ingredients to improve the product's performance and flavor.

Common Ingredients in Whitening Gels

• An ingredient often used in dental whitening gels is carbamide peroxide, a common bleaching agent in many dental products. It's a source of hydrogen peroxide, which bleaches teeth through a reaction with existing stains, changing their chemical structure to remove discoloration.
• Slow-Acting and Quick-Acting Whitening Gels
  Dentists can supply carbamide peroxide as a slow-acting bleach for you to use at home. During an initial appointment, your dentist takes an impression of your mouth and at a follow-up appointment, you receive whitening trays and whitening gel to apply in the trays regularly at home.
  
  Quick-acting whitening gels that dentists use in-office contain higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide: between 15% and 38%. This makes the process faster than at-home whitening, but can also cause more sensitivity.
• Other Ingredients
  Many teeth whiteners include added ingredients to help decrease tooth sensitivity. Two common whitening gel ingredients are potassium nitrate and amorphous calcium phosphate, both shown to reduce sensitivity. However, sensitivity after whitening is usually temporary, according to the ADA.

Tips for Home Use
Before starting a bleaching treatment with a tooth whitening gel, see your dentist. They can make a custom tray to fit neatly with the contours of your mouth and explain how to properly use a gel. For example, you always need to brush your teeth before applying the treatment gel. Depending on the product, you may need to wear the tray for a few hours during the day or overnight. Your dentist might recommend using the mouth tray for about two weeks to get the desired results. Be careful not to swallow any gel. Gently remove any residue that might be left on your teeth or gums with a cloth, a clean finger or a soft toothbrush, and then rinse your mouth well.

Using a whitening gel is a good way to make your smile brighter.To help maintain a whiter smile, floss daily and brush twice a day with a whitening toothpaste. Keep up your regular dental appointments.

Please note this is not directly in relation to our Teeth Whitening products, to learn more about the ingredients in our teeth whitening products please email us info@myblingsmile.com