At-Home Teeth Whitening: Does it Work?

At-Home Teeth Whitening: Does it Work?

A person’s smile is the first thing I notice when meeting or talking to them. It’s what made me take a second glance at my now hubby when we were in college. Well, his bright smile & maybe the fact that he’s 6’3, has dark hair and the most gorgeous lashes I’ve ever seen on a man. But, you get my point.

One of the most common questions I receive is about teeth whitening and what I use. I had braces in middle school and wasn’t thrilled with the color of my teeth once I had them taken off. Freshman year in high school my mom bought me white strips at the drug store and I was so excited. I was hooked and used a box of whitening strips at least twice a year. Fast forward to 2010, I developed some pretty intense tooth sensitivity. Mr. eyelashes and I were planning our wedding and I fell asleep one night with the white strips on my teeth. Ever since that night my teeth have been pretty sensitive to whitening. I would still use the strips here and there but every time I did I would have to deal with the intense sensitivity.  I decided to try some other options and came across a whitening charcoal powder. I tried it, did not love it and I honestly don’t think it made my smile any brighter. Plus, it was a mess every time I used it and little bits of charcoal would get stuck between my teeth. After that I tried a new whitening toothpaste which I really liked but could only purchase online. I would forget to place my order every month. For that reason, I went back to purchasing our go-to whitening toothpaste @ Target.

A few months later Smile Brilliant contacted me and asked if I wanted to try their product. I decided to give it a try and LOVED IT. Custom-fitted trays, a ton of professional grade whitening gel and the best part for me, desensitizing gel… game changer.

The entire process was so easy from start to finish. I received my kit a few short days after placing my order. My 5 year old was very entertained while watching me make my molds and the entire process took about 20 minutes from start to finish. The step-by-step instructions were very easy to follow and they even give you extra paste just in case you make a mistake. Once my impressions were complete I mailed them in using the prepaid mailing envelope that was provided. About a week later I received my trays. The custom fitted tray ensures that every angle of every tooth (regardless of whether your teeth are straight or not) receives even and consistent coverage.

Now for the fun part! I whitened my teeth in the evening before bed. It’s recommended to whiten for 45min-3hours, depending on your schedule and sensitivity. The process was pretty simple; I put a small amount of whitening gel in my trays, popped them on, started the timer on my phone and that was it.

I let the gel do its magic while I tackled my little men’s bath time, bedtime stories and those sweet end-of-the-day snuggles. Once my time was up, I took out my trays, brushed my teeth (I always use Sensodyne when whitening my teeth) to get rid of any remaining whitening gel, rinsed and dried the trays then put them back on with the desensitizing gel. This stuff is MAGIC. It puts moisture back into your teeth & keeps them hydrated. I would keep it on for 25 minutes then rinse and dry the trays. I left any remaining desensitizing gel on my teeth and went to bed. On average, the initial whitening process takes 7-10 applications. I still enjoy my coffee and a good glass (or two or three) of Malbec which we all know do not help keep your smile white. I just need to do 1-2 whitening applications every 2-3 months & I’ll be good to go. The whitening gel lasts a year if unrefrigerated and up to two years if kept in the refrigerator. Easy peasy.

 

 

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Enter the giveaway HERE!  The GIVEAWAY is for a $149 Smile Brilliant credit. It is open to USA, UK, Australia and Canadian residents.

Can’t wait? Use the code topknottedinlace15 for 15% off your order!

*This post is in collaboration with Smile Brilliant. All opinions are 100%  my own. Thank you for supporting the companies who support Top Knotted in Lace*




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