Patent ID: 8888489

Claim:
A method for performing an improved dental prophylaxis procedure incorporating tooth whitening, the method comprising: applying a light transmitting oxidizing agent to one or more teeth in an oral cavity to be cleaned and scaled during a dental prophylaxis; obtaining a hand-held light source that projects light energy; exposing a tooth surface with the light transmitting oxidizing agent in place to light energy using the hand-held source; after the exposing step applying a sealant composition to the one or more teeth with the oxidizing agent in place, wherein the sealant composition will resist moisture contamination of the oxidizing agent; performing a dental prophylaxis by cleaning and scaling teeth in the oral cavity, including the one or more teeth having the oxidizing agent and sealant composition in place, in proximity to at least one of as gum line, gingival margin, and crevicular space while avoiding excessive disruption of the sealant composition; and removing the sealant composition by polishing teeth in the oral cavity after performing the dental prophylaxis step.