I had trays done about a year ago and honestly, my experience was pretty similar to yours. The sensitivity was noticeable but manageable—mostly just a bit of a zing when drinking cold water or biting into something chilly. It lasted maybe three days tops, then faded away completely. I did use the sensitivity toothpaste religiously though, so that probably helped a ton.
Funny enough, my sister went the in-office laser whitening route and she said it was way more intense. She described it as feeling like tiny electric shocks in her teeth for a day or two afterward—yikes. Made me glad I stuck with the trays, haha.
Anyway, sounds like you're prepared with the toothpaste already, so I bet you'll breeze through it just fine. Keep us updated on how it goes!
I went the laser whitening route myself, and yeah, your sister's description is pretty spot-on. Felt like tiny jolts randomly hitting my teeth for about two days afterward. Sensitivity toothpaste helped, but honestly, trays sound way more manageable... hindsight, right?
Went through something similar with my daughter last summer—she insisted on laser whitening before senior photos. She spent the next couple of days wincing randomly and sipping lukewarm tea through a straw, poor thing. Sensitivity toothpaste helped her too, but honestly, we ended up switching to trays for maintenance afterward and it seemed way less intense. Live and learn, I guess... trays definitely seem like the gentler route if you're sensitive.
"Sensitivity toothpaste helped her too, but honestly, we ended up switching to trays for maintenance afterward and it seemed way less intense."
I had almost the exact opposite experience—went straight for the trays because I was nervous about sensitivity and figured it'd be cheaper. Well, turns out I got impatient and left them in too long (typical me...), and spent the next day cringing whenever I breathed in cold air. Now I'm wondering, does anyone know if professional whitening is actually gentler if you follow instructions carefully? Or am I doomed to sensitive teeth either way?
I've done both trays and professional whitening, and honestly, sensitivity seems to be a gamble either way. But from my own experience, if you follow the instructions exactly (I know, easier said than done...), professional whitening tends to be a bit gentler. The dentist can adjust the strength of the gel and usually applies something afterwards that helps reduce sensitivity.
"Well, turns out I got impatient and left them in too long (typical me...)"
Haha, that's relatable—I did the same once with trays and regretted it immediately. Learned my lesson the hard way. Now, whenever I whiten at home, I set like three alarms just to remind myself. Also, using sensitivity toothpaste consistently before and after really helps keep things manageable. Still get that occasional cringe with cold drinks, but it's way better than before.
