It’s an unfortunate fact that some of our favorite foods and beverages stain our teeth, including coffee, wine, dark berries, citrus fruits, and pasta sauce. However, the good news is that you don’t have to live with yellow teeth forever — you can pick up a home teeth whitening kit and transform your smile without even having to visit your local dental clinic!

At Constitution Dental, we offer in-clinic teeth whitening treatments as well as take-home teeth whitening kits for patients who prefer to whiten their teeth from the comfort of their own home. Our cosmetic dentists have years of experience whitening patients’ teeth, and we would be more than happy to give you a professional teeth whitening treatment at our dental office. We also understand that not everyone likes sitting in the dentist’s chair, so we can provide you with a home teeth whitening kit and walk you through the instructions so you can get brighter teeth on your own. Contact us today to learn more, and follow these five tips if you’re looking to whiten your teeth at home:

#1: Invest In The Best Teeth Whitening Products

Lots of times, people will try to whiten their teeth with baking soda, teeth whitening strips, and teeth whitening gel from store-bought kits. While some of these might work temporarily, they won’t have nearly the effect that professional teeth whitening products do. That being said, it’s important to do your research before you reach for the cheapest teeth whitening kit you see at the store because odds are you’re throwing your money away on a product that won’t produce lasting results. At our dental office in Downtown Ottawa, we sell professional-grade teeth whitening kits that lighten your teeth several shades when you wear the bleaching tray overnight for two weeks. Stop by Constitution Dental today to get yours!

#2: Protect Your Teeth & Gums

It is not uncommon to experience some tooth sensitivity when using teeth whitening gel. However, you should still pay attention to your body’s warning signs and remove the gel if your teeth become too sensitive or you feel a burning sensation on your gums. Follow the instructions on the package so you know exactly how much teeth whitening gel to use, and try not to get any on your gums, as this can cause gum irritation. Also, make sure to only leave the gel on your teeth for as long as is instructed on the package so you don’t cause unnecessary soreness.

#3: Plan Ahead & Set A Schedule

The drawback to home teeth whitening kits is that they don’t give you the results you’re looking for overnight. As opposed to in-clinic teeth whitening treatments, which produce immediate results in under an hour, you’ll need to wear your teeth bleaching trays periodically in order to see noticeable results. The time period varies depending on the teeth whitening product you use, but for ours, you should wear the tooth bleaching trays every night for a period of two weeks or so until you reach the ideal shade of white. If you have a special event coming up and want your teeth to look bright and beautiful, make sure you have enough time to achieve your desired result.

#4: Completely Remove Teeth Whitening Gel

It is important that you do not swallow any teeth whitening gel, as this can cause an upset stomach, or even worse symptoms depending on how much you consume. When you’re done doing your teeth whitening at home, make sure to remove all of the remaining gel from your teeth with a cloth or paper towel, then rinse your mouth a few times to wash away any remaining tooth bleach. Otherwise, you might end up with irritated gums, a stomach ache, or whiter teeth than you intended.

#5: Give Your Mouth A Break

People tend to go overboard with home teeth whitening kits because they get impatient and want certain results right away. Remember, your teeth and gums are made of living tissue and enamel, which are not accustomed to being covered in bleach. That being said, make sure to space out your teeth whitening treatments so that you are only doing one or two per year, if that. And, if you experience tooth sensitivity or your gums become irritated, lay off the teeth whitening gel until your mouth has a chance to acclimate.

Pick Up A Home Teeth Whitening Kit In Downtown Ottawa

Ready to get the beautiful white smile you’ve always wanted? Visit our dental office in Downtown Ottawa to pick up a home teeth whitening kit, or book an appointment with our cosmetic dentists today. Our teeth whitening dentists would be happy to set up a consultation to walk you through our teeth whitening treatments, or if you’re ready, we can get to work whitening your teeth!