I, like many people my age working a 9-5, am a prolific coffee drinker. While my morning coffee has been good for my soul (and the safety of people around me), it has been bad for my teeth. I’ve been noticing that my teeth are definitely showing the signs of a two-cup-a-day habit. I tried a few sessions of drugstore whitening strips in the past, but none really had the effect I was hoping for. I considered going to the dentist to have them whitened, but judging by how fast my jaw dropped when I saw the price, I crossed that off as an option.
So when Smile Brilliant contacted me about trying their whitening system, I thought “sure, what the heck.” After looking into the product and the process, I felt optimistic about getting started. Smile Brilliant is recommended by more dentists than any other procedure in America, probably because it’s so similar to the process they use themselves. The kit is comprised of custom-fitting teeth trays, a carbamide peroxide-based whitening gel, and a desensitizing gel. It was developed by dental professionals, so it has the dentist know-how without the dentist prices.
The Impression Trays
Step one was to make my trays. The kit I received in the mail included a catalyst paste, a base paste, two plastic impression trays, and instructions. Wisely, they included the ingredients for three trays, not just two, in case you mess up! I appreciated that little detail- they’ve taken into account that most people won’t have made dental trays before. I mixed the two pastes together, put them in the impression trays, and made my impressions. Very straight-forward and easy to use! Once I was finished, I followed the instructions that said to rinse them, and then packaged them up to send back to Smile Brilliant. They would then take my impressions to create my custom trays, which I received in the mail four business days later.
The Whitening Process
Once I had my trays, the actual whitening process was just as simple. You’re supposed to use the whitening gel for at least an hour, brush your teeth, and then use the desensitizing gel. I was a little nervous going into this whole thing, because I’ve experienced tooth sensitivity in the past. So I wasn’t surprised that I felt a little discomfort during the first application. It wasn’t painful enough to make me want to stop, just something to take note of. As soon as I applied the desensitizing gel, however, all the pain went away! Also, the first application was the only time I had any sensitivity. As a precaution, I put coconut oil on my gums every time I used the product, just for an extra layer between the gel and my gums. If you have super sensitive teeth, have no fear. Smile Brilliant makes a kit for those with sensitivity, too.
One thing that I noticed as I was in the process of using the system was that there were often white spots on my teeth immediately after I used the gel. I was worried that my teeth were becoming polka dotted, but a quick website search put my mind at rest. These spots are just the result of dehydrated teeth and don’t last long! I applied the gel for a few hours at night and the spots were gone by the morning.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am a big fan of Smile Brilliant. Even though I’ve finished using my kit, I can go to the website and buy replacement gels any time for a touch up if I need one. The trays are easy to make, quick to arrive, and comfortable. The system costs so much less than going to the dentist, and most importantly, WORKS! Want some proof? Check out these before and after photos. Wow. And it looks even more noticeable in person!
Giveaway!
If I’ve properly gushed about how great this at home teeth whitening system is, then you’ll be ecstatic to learn that Smile Brilliant has very kindly offered to give one of my readers their own kit! All you have to do is enter the giveaway here by filling in your name and email address and you could win whiter teeth with minimal effort. The giveaway is open for two weeks and is open to USA, UK, Canada, and Australia residents. You MUST enter through the link to be counted, so follow that link! If you win, you’ll get a $149 credit! If you don’t win the giveaway, don’t fret. Smile Brilliant has also provided a generous coupon code. If you want to get $15 off your trays, just use katieactually15 at checkout.
Big thank you to Smile Brilliant for sponsoring this post. As always, opinions are my own!
