Has anyone successfully whitened sensitive teeth?

[Wonderingwhyme]

I have tried every single OTC and online whitening things and they haven’t really worked. Couple years ago I went to the dentist and they have two options, one you do at home every day overnight and one you sit there and it’s done. Dentist said do at home as teeth are sensitive. Trouble is after a few days my teeth are so sensitive and it hurts so I have to stop or have a break. Trouble is the stuff is only ‘valid’ for one month and can’t use it after that so they never get white white.

I did see an improvement when I first did it but it didn’t last long. I’m tempted to go back to dentist and fork out for the one where you do it there... before dentist advised she home.... but if I’m doing it at home and it hurts.... over a long time.... isn’t it better to do at dentist and put up with it a short while??

I don’t know what else to do... they aren’t horrific but need doing!

A third of a syringe in one tray, about a blob the size of a large lentil per tooth? It's doesn't matter too much. There's a video on YouTube by phillips if you want to watch it.

Maybe get your dentist to check the fit of your tray as well

I would sort of massage your tray once youve got it in to spread the bleach evenly. It's normal for your teeth to discolour again, whitening is a sort of constant process really.

Ok so that’s loads more than my dentist showed me. Maybe that’s why it didn’t work that well he told me to keep the gel away from the gums, would massaging the tray (good idea haven’t done that) means it’s more likely to get on the gums though?

What is ‘realistic’ to need to redo it? Once a year? 6 monthly?

Another dentist here, agree with everything bluecornishpixie says

I love doing whitening, it's such a successful treatment and patients love it. You just have to have good knowledge and make sure the trays fit really well so the gel stays in.

I've used 1 hr and overnight. 1 hr is usually 7% hydrogen peroxide. I've found that is causes more sensitivity and I also have a constant nagging feeling of my teeth feeling on edge but after a few days this lessens. I've actually found that the night treatments work much quicker. Part of this is because they tend to be 10-16% of carbamide peroxide which breaks down into HP over time so you have a prolonged exposure to the whitening agent. Patients report less sensitivity too. Using GC tooth mousse alongside any whitening is good for especially sensitive patients or having days off too is fine to stagger the irritation to the nerve.

Like bluecornishpixie says all whitening toothpastes do is rub off stains (and your enamel!) so your sensitivity may be partly due to prolonged overuse of these

I can't believe people would go to a beautician with no idea of the chemistry of the (strong!) chemicals they're using and who would not be able to diagnose any dental/gum diseases which make whitening totally inappropriate and harmful. The blue light does absolutely nothing and years ago whoever had our zoom in chair whitening always ended up having home whitening after. They do look whiter though initially because if anyone has their mouth open for an hour the teeth dry out and look really white

I have never had my teeth whitened without being up to date with my dentist. I got my teeth done 2 weeks before Xmas and my last dental appointment was October and everything was okay and I haven’t to go back for 6 months.

I would know if I had gum disease because they would bleed and earlier last year I had an abcess and I had my teeth booked to get whitened and I cancelled due to abcess and the girl said that she wouldn’t have seen me anyway.

I do agree that your best to listen to your dentist but because my teeth were really bad then I wanted to use the 35% because my teeth were truly ruining my confidence and a couple of people had commented on them being dark yellow and I was upset and embarrassed.

@PulpHorn or @BlueCornsihPixie why does it have to be done in the evening? Can I not put it in say after lunch for 3 hours instead of after dinner?

@BlueCornsihPixie is spot on regarding Phillips zoom and then alternating with sensodyne in the mouth guard.

I have another question. Can I not put them in the morning after breakfast?? Also on Philips website it says 4-6 hours to have them in but I was told 3.... my teeth do look more even but still not As ‘white’ as I want them and would love to stop doing it for now!! Have done it a total of 7 days now?