Dentist-Prescribed Home Whitening with Custom Trays
For adults considering home teeth whitening from a dentist, this page explains custom tray whitening: a dentist-prescribed peroxide gel worn at home in trays made to fit your teeth closely. At Deepcar Dental Care, trays are worn for around 6 hours overnight or around 1.5 hours during the day, and the gel supplied is 3 to 4 weeks' worth. How much lighter teeth become varies from person to person.
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Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
This page was reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, a General Dental Practitioner registered with the GDC under number 301711.
What is custom tray whitening?
Custom tray whitening is home teeth whitening in which a peroxide gel, prescribed by a dentist, is worn in trays made to fit your teeth. NHS guidance describes the trays as small and made to closely fit around your teeth, like a mouthguard. The main page on professionally whitening your teeth explains why whitening is a dental treatment rather than a product.
In general, the gel lightens colour through a chemical reaction. Hydrogen peroxide reacts with the coloured molecules in the tooth, called chromogens, and turns them into lighter-coloured compounds. Carbamide peroxide, the other common whitening ingredient, is a stable compound that breaks down in contact with water to release hydrogen peroxide. NHS guidance says whitening can only lighten the colour of natural teeth, not crowns, dentures or implants.
Why does a custom-fitted tray matter?
A custom-fitted tray matters because it is shaped to your own teeth, so it can hold the gel close to the tooth surface. A review of tray design describes custom trays as formed over a model of the teeth made from an impression (a mould), and as used to hold the gel close to the teeth. It also counts a good seal around the gum margin as part of an optimal design.
The amount of gel matters too. The same review cites evidence that overloading the tray with gel can lead to sensitivity and gum irritation, which is why only the amount advised should go in. If any side effect bothers you, NHS guidance is to talk to your dentist.
Some trays include reservoirs, small spaces built into the tray over the front of each tooth to hold extra gel. A 2019 systematic review of nine clinical trials found no evidence yet that reservoirs improve the colour change, and the tray-design review quotes the view that reservoirs are not needed to bleach.
Shop-bought whitening differs by law. In the UK, whitening products sold directly to the public can contain or release no more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide. Gels from 0.1% to 6% can be sold only to dental practitioners. NHS guidance says kits bought from a pharmacy or online do not work as well and may harm your teeth and gums.
Which home whitening systems does Deepcar Dental Care use?
Whitening systems at Deepcar Dental Care include Enlighten and Boutique, and both are delivered as take-home tray systems. No whitening light is used at the practice.
How long does it take to get your whitening trays?
At Deepcar Dental Care, it is around 1 week from the first appointment to having your trays in hand. A home whitening course at the practice involves 2 appointments.
What is the wear schedule for whitening trays?
At Deepcar Dental Care, whitening trays for both systems are worn for around 6 hours overnight, or around 1.5 hours during the day.
Ask the dentist which of the two routines fits your day, and wear the trays only for the time advised. Whitening trays last around 2 years if they are well looked after.
How long does a home whitening course take?
A home whitening course takes weeks rather than days: NHS guidance says trays are worn at home for around 2 to 6 weeks.
At Deepcar Dental Care, the gel supplied is 3 to 4 weeks' worth, in 4 syringes. How much lighter teeth become, and how quickly, varies from person to person. The page on what whitening can and cannot change sets out realistic expectations.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
How do you manage sensitivity during home whitening?
Sensitivity is possible while whitening, and in Deepcar Dental Care's aftercare advice it usually settles within about 2 weeks of finishing. Talk to your dentist if it bothers you.
Desensitising gel is supplied with whitening at the practice. NHS guidance lists teeth becoming sensitive to cold or sweet food and drink, sore gums or throat, and white patches on the gums as side effects, and says to talk to your dentist if you have any side effects that bother you. The safety pages in this section cover whitening safety in more detail.
When is a whitening top-up recommended?
At Deepcar Dental Care, a top-up is recommended every 6 months, and top-up kits are available for previous patients.
A top-up works on natural teeth only, so crowns, veneers and fillings will not change colour with a top-up either. The aftercare pages in this section cover the white diet, how long whitening lasts and top-ups.
Who is home tray whitening not suitable for?
At Deepcar Dental Care, whitening is not suitable for groups including under-18s and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding.
It is also not suitable with active decay or gum disease, with heavy tetracycline staining, or for patients with many front crowns or veneers. The eligibility pages in this section look at several of these situations in more detail. If you are unsure whether home trays are the right route for you, the guide to working out which option suits matches common situations to the options.
How strong is home whitening gel?
In the UK, whitening gel a dentist prescribes can contain or release up to 6% hydrogen peroxide. Guidance from a dental indemnity provider explains that, in general, a 10% carbamide peroxide gel releases 3.6% hydrogen peroxide, and that commonly used products containing up to 16% carbamide peroxide stay within the UK limit of 6% hydrogen peroxide for cosmetic whitening.
At Deepcar Dental Care, the home whitening gel strengths are 16% carbamide peroxide and 6% hydrogen peroxide.
What does UK law say about home whitening gel?
In the UK, teeth whitening is the practice of dentistry, and only a dentist can prescribe it.
It is carried out by the dentist or, working to the dentist's prescription, by another dental professional the GDC permits to provide it, such as a dental therapist or a clinical dental technician. Gels containing or releasing between 0.1% and 6% hydrogen peroxide can be sold only to dental practitioners, and gels above 6% are not allowed for cosmetic whitening.
The rules require an appropriate clinical examination before use, to check there are no risk factors or other oral problems, and limit use to the intended frequency and duration. The GDC's position statement says: "For each cycle of use, the first use can only be carried out by dental practitioners or under their direct supervision, if an equivalent level of safety is ensured." The product may then be provided by the dental practitioner to the consumer to complete the cycle of use. These gels cannot be used on anyone under 18 except wholly to treat or prevent disease. The guide to teeth whitening explains the rules in more detail.
Where can you find teeth whitening fees?
Current teeth whitening fees at Deepcar Dental Care are on the whitening cost page, which sets out what it costs.
When should you speak to your dentist?
A hygiene visit before whitening is recommended. A hygiene appointment can be booked online through the booking portal, without registering as a patient.
Speak to your dentist before home whitening if your teeth are sensitive, you have front crowns or veneers, or one tooth has darkened.
During a course, talk to your dentist if sensitivity, sore gums or any other side effect bothers you, as NHS guidance advises. Internal whitening for a dark root-filled tooth is a separate treatment at the practice, taking 2 to 4 sessions.
Frequently asked questions
Is teeth whitening available on the NHS?
No. NHS guidance says teeth whitening is not available on the NHS, and that you have to pay for it as a private patient at a dental surgery. NHS guidance also says a dentist can prescribe a kit containing a whitening gel and small trays made to closely fit around your teeth.
Can I whiten only my upper or lower teeth?
Yes. Whitening one arch only, the upper or the lower teeth, is an option at Deepcar Dental Care. Ask the dentist whether one arch or both suits what you want to change, because whitening lightens natural teeth only and crowns, veneers and fillings will not change colour.
Can whitening be combined with another treatment?
Yes. At Deepcar Dental Care, whitening can be bundled with another treatment. Whitening before composite bonding is an option, though it is not required, and clear aligner treatment at the practice includes whitening at the end. Ask the dentist which order of treatment suits what you want to change.
What should I avoid during and after home whitening?
Avoid smoking during treatment, and follow a white diet for 2 weeks after treatment, which means avoiding strongly coloured food and drink. Both are part of Deepcar Dental Care's whitening aftercare. If sensitivity, sore gums or another side effect bothers you, NHS guidance is to talk to your dentist.
Book a consultation.
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You can book online or call 0114 288 2121 to ask about home teeth whitening. The practice is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday.
At the practice, whitening is provided by our dentists. Deepcar Dental Care is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, with free parking directly outside, and the practice is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible.
Home tray whitening sits alongside the other whitening options in this section, including internal whitening for a dark root-filled tooth.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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