At Home Teeth Whitening: Does it Work?

October 4, 2018

professional teeth whitening at homeprofessional teeth whitening at home

Teeth whitening is a popular topic. It floods our Instagram feeds with multiple kits, whitening UV programs and strips promising to whiten and brighten. I decided to put Smile Brilliant to the test and give you in-depth information on everything you can expect.

Smile Brilliant T3 Non-Sensitive System

professional teeth whitening at home

When Smile Brilliant approached me to collaborate I was really intrigued and excited. While I’ve worked with teeth whitening companies before, I really liked their customised approach. The company creates custom teeth whitening trays, fitted to your mouth. Until now, this type of teeth whitening system was only common at the dentist. Eager to get started, I accepted and was sent 3 whitening syringes, 3 desensitizing syringes, and everything you need to create the moulds for your custom teeth whitening trays. It also includes instructions for every part of the process.

Creating teeth whitening trays

To create your custom teeth whitening trays, you first need to mix the catalyst paste with the base paste to create a putty.  Place the putty into the blue tray, press one evenly up to your upper teeth, hold it there for two and half minutes, remove it, and then repeat with the other tray to your lower teeth. After both are made, you let them sit for 30 minutes, rinse them, let them dry completely, and then ship them back to Smile Brilliant so they can make your final custom trays.

Your custom whitening trays

After about a week, I received my custom teeth whitening trays! They perfectly hug all of my teeth, are totally unnoticeable and super comfortable to wear. Unlike strips and other types of whitening treatments, you’ll be whitening your entire smile, not just the front teeth. Because the trays are moulded to your teeth, you are able to whiten every nook and cranny of your smile. Amazing!

professional teeth whitening at home

Whitening

Now you have your custom trays, it’s time to get your smile on! There are about 3 applications per syringe, however I use sparingly and adjust the amount with every use. Everyone’s mouth and teeth structure is different but it’s important to not use too much as gum irritation can occur.

After brushing your teeth with water, dry your mouth, put a thin line of the whitening gel inside both of your trays and put them on. Leave the trays in for between 45 minutes to 3 hours depending on your sensitivity, and go on with your day. To begin with, I recommend whitening for no more than an hour.

The great thing about the custom trays is you can continue on with your day while you whiten. Do your makeup, tidy up the house or just kick back with your favourite TV show.

After the time is up, rinse your mouth and the trays, brush your teeth, this time with toothpaste, dry your trays, and follow the same process with the desensitizing gel. Wear for 15 to 20 minutes.

professional teeth whitening at home

After 7 days of whitening here are my results!

My teeth were not too stained originally as I did quite a bit of whitening prior to the wedding. This followed 3 months of wine, coffee and delicious European food. I was keen for a refresh! This whitening kit definitely worked for me and I love the customised approach that gets every part of your smile. There was no sensitivity for me and I used them for 1- 2 hours at a time with a few days break in between.

professional teeth whitening at home

I didn’t experience any adverse effects except some sensitivity in the first few sessions.  I contacted Smile Brilliant and they advised me to use less product and coat my gums with Vaseline before use. This seemed to fix the problem!

If you want dramatic effects, you can certainly keep going with the whitening. I prefer a more natural look so for me, this system is great for ‘every now and then’ use before events and to maintain my white teeth.

Price

For 3 whitening syringes, your custom mould and whitening trays the price for the T3 Non-Sensitive System is $139. For those of us who know how expensive custom moulds are (hello sleeping retainers!) this is incredibly affordable. Smile Brilliant also offer other kits with more gels included, which can be better for more severely stained teeth.

With Smile Brilliant, you get the exact same customised treatment when visiting a dentist, all at the comfort of your own home and the ability to maintain your bright smile long-term.

If you’re ever wondering about “how to whiten teeth at home”, I recommend Smile Brilliant. It’s not just another one size fits all approach so it will ensure you have professional whitening across your entire smile!

GIVEAWAY!!

To help you get a bright smile for summer, I set up an awesome giveaway with Smile Brilliant! One lucky winner will win $149 credit towards their own kit (the T3 system I use is only $139). Simply go to www.smilebrilliant.com/g/chicontherun, type in your name and email address to enter.

If you want a kit for yourself regardless of the competition, use code ‘chicontherun15’ for 15% off!

For updates on the competition and my time with Smile Brilliant, follow my Instagram @chicontherunblog.

Good luck!