At-Home Whitening

Dr. Lavigne walks through best practices for the Kor At-Home Whitening Treatment and sneaks in a few tips to help keep teeth feeling great and de-sensitized during the process.

I recommend using a sensitive toothpaste two weeks before starting your whitening treatment. Any paste that contains Potassium Nitrate will do the trick. Some common ones that I would recommend are Sensodyne, Colgate Sensitive, or Tom’s of Maine Sensitive.  

In addition to using a sensitive paste morning and night, your Kor whitening kit will come with a desensitizing gel to paint on your teeth. Apply the desensitizing gel before and after whitening tray use by evenly painting the teeth with a coating of the gel. Our whitening regimen is very patient-specific, so the amount of consecutive days you’ll wear your trays will vary depending on what you’ve been prescribed.

With at-home whitening, the amount of gel applied to the trays contributes to the success of the treatment. Applying too little leads to insufficient coating of the teeth and can make the teeth whiten in a splotchy manner. Applying too much can lead to gum irritation, swallowing of the material, and wasting your gel.

When applying the whitening gel, you should have the tip of the syringe facing the outside corner of the indentation for the teeth. Use a thin, continuous line along that outside corner until you get to the other side of the tray. If the line of gel thins in some areas, go back and fill it in. If the gel bunches up while you’re placing it, stop expelling it and thin that area out.

If you have any other questions about your treatment, always feel free to call us at the office at 508-358-2122. Happy whitening!