Frequently asked questions

1. How does White At Home work?
White At Home works by removing stains from the teeth that have built up over the years.

2. Why have my teeth become darker?
Teeth can become darker over the years because of the things we eat and drink, such as tea, coffee, red wine etc. Smoking can also darken teeth.

3. How will White At Home make my teeth whiter?
White At Home uses a whitening gel containing carbamide peroxide which is an oxidising agent to lighten the shade of the teeth. It does this by penetrating the porosities in the structure of the enamel and oxidises the stains. The dentine layer underneath the enamel is also bleached over a period of time. This process is called tooth bleaching.

4. What is the difference between custom made trays and the boil and bite type?
Custom made trays are very accurate and close fitting which means the whitening gel is held in close contact with the teeth and less likely to leak meaning less gel is used and decreased likelihood of gum irritation. Because the boil and bite type are one size fits all they are more bulky and less comfortable to wear.

5. What is the difference between White At Home and over the counter products?
White At Home supply precision custom-made whitening trays. That is we make the trays to fit your mouth exactly. We don’t supply poorly fitting boil and bite one size fits all trays.

We also supply professional strength whitening gel as you would get from your dentist. We do not supply cheap gels with lower levels of active ingredients or lower concentration of active ingredients.

6. Where will I get my custom made whitening tray from?
We will make your tray for you. White At Home employs only fully qualified dental technicians to produce the whitening trays.

7. How comfortable is my custom made tray to wear?
White At Home custom made trays are made out of a thin, flexible, clear material that is very comfortable to wear and very unobtrusive.

8. Are your systems the same as I would get from my dentist?
The custom made trays we supply you with are exactly the same trays we have supplied dentists with for over ten years.

The whitening gel we supply you with is the same high quality gel supplied by dentists.

9. How are you able to offer me this system at a fraction of the price a dentist could charge me?
We can do it at a fraction of the cost because you take your own impression at home. Dental surgery time is expensive so all the time you are in the surgery it is costing you money. We have no surgery time so we are able to pass the savings onto you.

We also buy our stock in bulk which saves us money and so saves you money.

10. How long do I have to wear the whitening trays for?
The trays should be worn for between 30 minutes and 2 hours each day depending on the strength of gel used.

11. How white will my teeth be?
This depends on how stained your teeth are, the natural colour of your teeth and how long you continue the procedure for.

It is normal for the initial results to be seen in only 2 to 4 days of use. A dramatic improvement can be noticed after a typical course of tooth whitening lasting 5 to 14 days. This can be up to 8 shades lighter. Teeth that are naturally darker or heavily stained may take longer to lighten. We use only high quality whitening gel which is why the best results are achieved.

12. How long will the whitening last?
The whitening effect can often last several years. This can obviously be affected by different types of food and drink. The great thing about using the White At Home system is you can touch up your smile every 4 to 6 months if required to maintain the optimum level of whiteness.

13. Will the gel whiten my crowns, veneers, dentures?
No, the gel will only whiten natural teeth.

14. Should I avoid any food or drink whilst I am carrying out the procedure?
It is best to avoid food and drink that would normally stain your teeth such as: Tea, coffee, red wine, cola’s, and smoking.

15. Will it make my teeth sensitive?
It is quite normal for some people to experience tooth sensitivity during tooth whitening. If this happens simply discontinue whitening for 24-48 hours and the sensitivity should dissipate. This will not effect the final level of whitening you will achieve as the procedure does not have to be carried out on consecutive days, it means it will just take a day or two longer. You can also use sensodyne toothpaste which has a high concentration of potassium nitrate, which soothes the nerve endings and helps to eliminate sensitivity.

16. How can I test to see if my teeth will be sensitive?
Start by wearing your trays for the first day with the gel in for 30 minutes. If you don’t feel any sensitivity you can use the product for longer the next day.

17. Do I need to whiten all my teeth?
You only really need to whiten the front 8 teeth on each arch. This is because the teeth further back are not usually visible when you talk and smile.

18. What if I have any loose bridge work or crowns or permanent orthodontic appliance?
If you have crowns, bridgework or fixed orthodontic appliances you should see your dentist before attempting to take your own impression as these may become dislodged on removing the impression from the mouth.

19. If I’m pregnant or nursing can I use White At Home?
No. You should not use White At Home if you are pregnant or nursing.