HEEELLP!!! Teeth whitening stress....

[despondentatwork]

Saved for ages, birthday ££ added & finally I've got tooth whitening kit from the dentist. Tried once; seem to have damaged my gum at the front top with the peroxide. I immediately removed the stuff, tried a much smaller amount, & same burning sensation. Lower tray ok, managed to keep it on for 2 hours & gums ok. Zingy shooting pains in my teeth for a short while, though. It's 16%..my dentist said they don't do 10%. Have left it a few days, but want to try again. Terrified though! Am I just destined to have yellow teeth??? And have wasted a birthday present.......

Is it hydrogen peroxide or carbomide peroxide? Carbomide can be better if your teeth / gums are sensitive as it's a slower process, you can keep the trays in overnight.
Make sure you don't put too much in the trays, it shouldn't touch your gums. You only need a tiny drop in the bottom, whitening works from the inside out so it doesn't need to cover the whole surface of the tooth.
You would be best just keeping the trays in for 30 mins to 1 hour and working up (but 1 hour would be enough most likely)
If your teeth are really zingy (and this happens to me too!) then just use some sensitive tooth paste for a few days. You can actually just rub it on your teeth if it's really bad. I find that plus a couple of nurofen sorts it out pretty quickly.
Disclaimer: I am not a clinician however I have worked in dentistry for the last 8 years.

Firstly literally only put a dot in the trays.

Sometimes your gums can be a bit sore afterwards, it will heal in a day dont worry!

What I do is out a dot in each tooth, put the trays in and sort of squeeze around the gum area to get the bleach out of this area, then wipe with my finger or a cotton bud to make sure no excess is on my gums. But I have got some on my gums before. It might also he your tray is digging in here

For the sensitivity I would wear the trays for 2-3hrs in the evening. Then clean and swap to a sensitive toothpaste to sleep in. So you are sleeping with sensitive toothpaste on your teeth

Thank you both so much. I am happy enough to do this slowly, so will take all of your advice onboard. Must check whether I have Hydrogen or Carbomide...was advised by dentist no to keep in overnight so possibly the former.

If your gel is 16% then it will be CP.

Like what the two others have said, use a tiny amount, clean any excess off the gums - use those cotton buds or tissue.

Use a toothpaste with potassium nitrate (the classic sensodyne has it - check ingredients) - you can use it in your whitening trays when you aren't using the gels.

Good luck!