Following are the Over-the-counter and professional whitening agents to be used at home:
Strips and Gels: The plastic whitening strips contain a layer of peroxide gel and are shaped to fit the buccal/labial surfaces of the teeth. They are recommended to be used twice daily for 30 minutes for 14 days to give effective results. However, specific whitening strip products will have their own set of instructions.
Tray based Teeth Whitening: The dentist will first take impressions of the upper and lower teeth and then prepare the trays. At home, the patient should brush their teeth prior to the use of these trays since surface debris can minimize the effective contact of bleaching agent with the tooth surface. Then, the patient should place sufficient bleaching agent (10% carbamide peroxide) into the tray to cover the facial surfaces of teeth. This tray should be worn for a time period of 4 hours for every session. After every teeth bleaching session, rinse off the bleaching agent from teeth surface. Depending on the extent of tooth discoloration, time duration to achieve the optimal result may vary.