This is a review of a gifted product.
Bionator, headgear, braces, oh my! My smile has been through the ringer! And thanks to my generous and patient parents and an all star orthodontist, I am very proud of my smile! I started orthodontia work when I was 8 years old. I had a gap in my front teeth and a massive overbite. CUUUTE! Don’t be jealous! I began with a bionator (which most people have probably never heard of), then headgear, braces, a crib, rubber bands….you name it! And while I love my straight teeth, years spent growing up as a chronic, pacific northwest, coffee-drinker have taken a toll on their glow.
Whitening for the Wedding
I spent the past year counting down the days ‘til my wedding, but also worrying (as brides do) about little details like – will my teeth look dull and stained compared to my dress? I spoke with my dentist about professional whitening options. However, I was warned by the dentist, dental hygienist, and office manager that professional whitening can be quite challenging. They said that it can cause your teeth to be 12x as sensitive as at home whitening options. On top of that, it would cost about $700 and take multiple hours! They recommended trying at-home whitening before committing to a professional, in-office treatment.
I hit the drugstore and picked up some Crest whitening strips. Before using the strips, I brushed my teeth with Sensodyne for 2 weeks to decrease the likelihood of sensitivity. Even with this precautionary step, I had unbearable pain in my teeth after using the strips and sensitivity to hot and cold foods/drinks. I was frustrated and felt like whitening my teeth before my wedding wouldn’t be an option. As fate would have it, a member of the Smile Brilliant team reached out to me for a collaboration!
What is Smile Brilliant?
Smile Brilliant is an affordable at-home whitening kit that removes the timely and expensive nature of a dentist visit. The kit costs under $200 and you can whiten while doing chores, working from home, meal prepping, or watching your favorite tv show! I loved how easy the process was and how it fit seamlessly into my day.
The T3 Sensitive System is perfect for light stains. Once you place your order, the kit will quickly arrive with everything you need for a whiter smile. It includes 3 whitening syringes, 3 desensitizing syringes, and the trays and paste needed to create custom impressions. In 3 easy steps you’ll be on your way to a brighter smile!
- Getting Custom Coverage: Take impressions of your upper and lower teeth and send them to Smile Brilliant. The custom trays are so much easier than those slippery whitening strips, and give you more coverage too!
Whitening: Once you receive your trays in the mail, brush your teeth with just water (no toothpaste). Use 1/3 to 1/4 of the whitening syringe to line the upper and lower trays, and put the trays in place. Remove after 45 minutes to 3 hours (depending on sensitivity). Brush teeth.
- Desensitizing: Use 1/3 to 1/4 of the desensitizing syringe to line the upper and lower trays, and insert the trays. Remove after 15 to 20 minutes. Spit out excess gel, but do not rinse or brush.
This process typically only takes 1-2 weeks for optimal results! Unfortunately, during my whitening process, I had a dental procedure done that caused my teeth to be abnormally sensitive. This prevented me from finishing my complete course of the whitening gel. So I didn’t quite get my teeth as white as I would have liked before the big day. Regardless, I still felt wedding ready!
Tips and Tricks
Your kit will come with very detailed instructions on the application process and best practices, but I have a few tips around sensitivity to share with you! Sensitivity is common with any whitening product. I had less sensitivity with my Smile Brilliant kit than with the strips I used previously. However, I still encountered some sensitivity:
- It you are experiencing gum irritation or inflammation – take a few days off from whitening to heal, or whiten every other day.
- Make sure to remove any whitening gel that has spread to your gums with a Q-tip after you insert your trays.
- If any part of your gums turn white after whitening, take a break and it will go back to normal in a few days. This happened to me and definitely made me a bit nervous, but the Smile Brilliant team assured me that this would go away. I would also recommend taking a break from flossing until the gums return to normal color.
- Rub Vaseline or coconut oil on gums to act as a barrier prior to whitening.
- Reach out to the support team! They have lots of great tips to ease any concerns or discomfort you might have.
Giveaway Time!
Smile Brilliant was generous enough to collaborate with me and offer a giveaway for all of you amazing readers! A lucky individual will receive a T3 Sensitive Kit! All you need to do is fill out this easy entry form!
If you’re eager to start your journey toward a brighter smile, you can also use the promo code ‘raisedrogue15’ for 15% off any Smile Brilliant purchase! Woot Woot!
Before and After
Keep smiling!
xxoxoxx
Alison
