I am extremely proud of my smile. I endured years of braces, headgear, and retainers – including those rubber bands that connected my top teeth to my bottom teeth (super uncomfortable). Needless to say, I had to put up with a lot to get my smile to where it is.

I received this product for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Because I am so proud, I like to do what I can to keep my teeth looking their best. That became pretty hard after starting my career when my coffee consumption doubled. I had thought about using whitening strips (I used to use them every six months or so in college), but always had an issue with the strips sticking together or slipping off of my teeth. When I was asked to review Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening Trays, I was beyond excited!

I am a natural skeptic, so I asked my dentist about Smile Brilliant prior to trying it. Here are a few main points about whitening via my dental hygienist:

• When you use a whitener, you want to use a product that includes the ingredient carbamide peroxide – that’s what the dentists use.
• Whitening your teeth does not ruin the enamel, like everyone once thought.
• Your teeth have pores in them, so when you whiten, you’re essentially enlarging the pores, exposing more sensitive areas so the stains can be removed from within. Because of this, people who have naturally more sensitive teeth (like I do) should also use a sensitive toothpaste while whitening.
• Most teeth whitening solutions are temporary solutions, especially if you keep up your coffee and red wine habits.

So with my dentist’s blessing, I started my journey with Smile Brilliant!

The process

When you first receive your kit, there are easy-to-follow instructions on how to create your impressions. This was honestly my favorite part (haha). If you’ve had braces, and you’ve done the impressions before then you know how oddly satisfying it is to bite down in the impression mixture (I’m a weirdo).

Once you’ve created your impressions, you mail them in using the prepaid envelope sent in your kit. A few days later they send you your custom-fitted trays! They do such a great job, I swear my trays fit better than my retainer ever did.

Now you’re ready to whiten! First, brush your teeth with water (not with toothpaste), and use the syringe to apply the whitening gel to your trays. If you have sensitive teeth like I do, I cannot stress this enough: put petroleum jelly on your gums! It acts as a barrier between your sensitive gums and the intense whitening gel. Make sure your teeth are dry, then put your trays on your teeth!

It’s recommended to whiten before bed so you can avoid adding stains from food and drinks after. Since the pores of your teeth are open while whitening, it’s much easier to stain your teeth while whitening. Depending on how much time you have available, you can keep the trays on for anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 hours.

After you remove your whitening trays, it’s time to use the desensitizing gel! Rinse the trays off with water then make sure they are completely dry. Brush your teeth using toothpaste, then reapply the petroleum jelly to your gums and dry your teeth. It’s important to dry the trays and your teeth for the desensitizing gel to work at it’s best. Use the desensitizing syringe to apply the gel to your trays, and wear the trays for about 15 more minutes.

Then, voila! I started seeing a noticeable difference after only a few uses.

3 Reasons to use Smile Brilliant to Whiten Your Teeth Instead of Whitening at the Dentist:

1. It’s the same product! You have a custom-fitted tray to use with the same carbamide peroxide product that a dentist would use.
2. You can do it in the comfort of your own home. If you go to the dentist, it could take more than three separate visits, each at 45 min to an hour at least. Since this is an at home teeth whitener, I was whitening while watching TV, walking on the treadmill, checking Instagram…
3. The cost difference is huge. The cost to have teeth whitening done at the dentist can be over $500. The most expensive Smile Brilliant kit is $169 (Unless you use code itsmegan15 for 15% off your purchase, or you could win a free kit! Enter my giveaway!)

Are you ready for a brighter, whiter smile? Smile Brilliant and I have teamed up to give one lucky winner their own at home whitening kit!

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Tooth Whitening Gel