I was not aware that I have to keep the gels in the fridge. Can I still use them?
Whether or not you are still able to use unrefrigerated gels, depends on how long they were left out of the fridge for:
Up to 7 days
As long as they were not left in direct sunlight, refrigerate immediately and you should still be ok to use them.
Over 7 days
Unrefrigerated gels left out for over 7 days should be discarded and you should get new gels. To do so, please contact your dentist.
I am experiencing quite a bit of sensitivity, what can I do?
The most common cause of extreme sensitivity is tooth grinding when you sleep (bruxism) – this is very common when you are going through times of stress, and is often transient too.
Enlighten Comfort gel
After each whitening application, you apply the Enlighten Comfort desensitising gel on your teeth on the areas closest to the gum, making sure your lips do not touch the teeth for 30 seconds after the gel was applied.
Enlighten Serum in the trays
Try putting the Enlighten Serum in the trays and leave in for 30 mins at a different time than whitening, at a minimum of 2-hour difference. This contains a particle called hydroxyapatite that is designed to help with sensitivity.
Contact your dentist to get in-chair desensitiser & potentially swap to a lower percentage gel
In cases of extreme sensitivity, we advise to contact your dentist. They will be able to apply an in-chair desensitising agent on your teeth.
Your dentist may also suggest bringing you back down to the lower concentration (Week 1 gel) for 2-3 hours during the day and depending on the results, it may take longer than 3 weeks.
It is completely safe to do whitening for longer than 3 weeks, so you needn’t worry about long term damage.
I noticed white spots on my teeth after doing the treatment
Pre-existing white spots may go chalky during the whitening treatment but the blend in within a few days of stopping the treatment (very rarely these will stay chalky for a few weeks after the end of treatment).
Occasionally, seemingly new white spots can come up after the whitening process. These are decalcification stains which in reality were there all along, you just never knew about them and the whitening temporarily makes them more visible. They generally blend in within a few days (for some may take up to a few weeks) after the end of treatment.
A good tip to speed up the blending process is to brush with the Enlighten Serum twice a day, as well as applying the Enlighten Serum in the whitening trays as you did with the whitening gels and wear them for 30 - 60 mins a day. (please see below)
My gums feel sore / irritated
White, irritated, flaky gums which may have experienced a sizzling or burning-like sensation is usually a sign of overfilling the tray. If you use too much gel in the tray, the gel then sits on your gum, irritating it. If that is the case, take a day or two break to allow them to heal (the good news is that gums are great at healing themselves quite rapidly) and then restart your treatment making sure you put less gel in the trays. Only a very small excess of gel should come out when you put the trays in and you should wipe it off with a tissue. (see below)
Red, puffy, swollen and/or inflamed gums usually means allergy. If that is the case, stop the treatment immediately and contact your physician and dentist to get a patch test done. Do not continue with treatment until you identified what you are allergic to. Most allergy reports we have had in the past have come from the HEMA substance present in the Seal desensitising swabs or Hurriseal desensitiser. It could be an allergy to something else though, do not assume it was the swabs - get a patch test done to confirm. Your dentist or physician may prescribe antihistamine in the meantime to soothe your symptoms.
Gel is coming out of the trays. Is that normal?
After you loaded your syringe with a lentil size amount of gel in each tooth, a little excess should come out which you then wipe with a tissue (see picture above). If after you have done this step, more gel is coming out, next time try to load the tray with quite a bit less gel. Only a little amount should come out after applying the trays. If this still does not resolve your issue, please contact your dentist and get them to check the fit of your trays or assess them for any damage.
I found some expired whitening syringes, can I still use them if out of date?
Avoid using out of date whitening gels. Expired syringes must be discarded as their effectiveness will be significantly reduced and they are likely to cause more sensitivity.
Can I use the desensitising Comfort pen before I do the whitening to prevent sensitivity?
The Comfort Pen is specifically designed for use only after the whitening process, not before. Using it beforehand may result in incomplete removal, and if whitening gel is then applied, the two substances could interact in an undesirable way. Therefore, the Comfort Pen should be used exclusively after the whitening trays have been removed.
Is it normal to have gel leftover after filling the trays?
It can be normal for some patients to have a little leftover gel in the syringe after one or every week of whitening. We typically recommend using a lentil-sized amount of gel for each tooth compartment. However, we understand that everyone's teeth vary in size, so some may need a little more or less. To find the right amount, start with a lentil-sized portion in each compartment and see how much excess gel appears after inserting the tray. There should only be a small amount of excess gel, which you can easily wipe away with a tissue. If you notice too much or too little gel, simply adjust the amount the next night until you find the right balance.
What do I do with the leftover gel after the 7 nights?
If after either week of whitening you still have some gel left, as long as you have been using enough, worry not! No need to prolong the respective week. Any leftover gel should be kept for top-ups.