I am going to be in my friend’s wedding in September. I am wearing Invisalign. I love the aligners because they are so clear, but my teeth are not white. My cousin get free take home whitening gel from her dentist. She has more than she can use before the expiration date so she is giving some of it away. She gave me 4 tubes and told me that I probably can get a month worth of whitening from the tubes. So I am going to do the whitening myself at home. I wear Invisalign so I figure that the trays can serve a dual purpose. I wore the trays with the gel in them for the past few nights. Now I am wondering if the gel is too strong because my gums are burning. Is there any way to dilute the gel? How do it? Thanks. Darcy
Darcy – It is exciting to be able to get free teeth-whitening gel that works! But Invisalign aligners are made specifically to align your teeth, not to whiten them. They are not designed to support teeth bleaching gel. The structure of bleaching trays is different from teeth aligning trays. You may ruin your Invisalign aligners and damage your gums if you continue to put bleaching gel in the trays. Teeth bleaching trays are designed to keep bleaching gel sealed against your teeth and away from your gums. It is best to use customized trays.
Dentists provide bleaching gel based on the causes of stains in a patient’s teeth, the level of sensitivity the bleaching gel may cause for the patient, and the fact that custom bleaching trays are provided. A teeth whitening system that works for one patient may not work for another patient. If the bleaching gel is too strong for your teeth, you are unable to dilute it. You may need a get that has a lower concentration of the bleaching agent. But the problem may be due to using Invisalign aligners instead of custom teeth-whitening trays.
Although you received free teeth-whitening gel from your cousin, it might not be the best option for you. If you want your teeth whitened, speak with your dentist about your options for receiving it during your Invisalign treatment. It’s the safest way to get it done.
This post is sponsored by Plano, TX female dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy.