One-part dental compositions and methods for bleaching and desensitizing teeth

A stable, one-part sticky dental bleaching composition for use with a dental tray comprising:

• a peroxide dental bleaching agent included in an amount so as to bleach teeth;
• potassium nitrate included in an amount so as to reduce tooth sensitivity that may be caused by the dental bleaching agent when left in contact with a person's teeth for a time sufficient to cause bleaching of the teeth;
• a bleaching agent stabilizer;
• and
• a carrier including a tackifying agent selected from the group consisting of carboxypolymethylene, polyacrylic copolymers, gums, polyethylene oxides, proteins, and mixtures thereof, the dental composition having a stickiness so that the dental composition is capable of adhering and retaining a dental tray that is designed not to exert significant mechanical pressure onto the person's teeth and gums over a person's teeth for a prescribed time period.

A method for bleaching teeth comprising:

• (a) providing a dental tray configured to cover a person's teeth and hold therein a quantity of a dental bleaching composition;
• (b) placing a quantity of a stable, one-part desensitizing dental bleaching composition within the dental tray, the dental bleaching composition including a peroxide dental bleaching agent included in an amount so as to bleach teeth, potassium nitrate included in an amount so as to reduce tooth sensitivity that may be caused by the dental bleaching agent when left in contact with a person's teeth for a time sufficient to cause significant bleaching of the teeth, and a carrier including a tackifying agent selected from the group consisting of carboxypolymethylene, polyacrylic copolymers, gums, polyethylene oxides, proteins, and mixtures thereof,
• (c) positioning the dental tray over the person's teeth for a period of time sufficient to cause bleaching of the teeth;
• and
• (d) removing the dental tray from the person's teeth.

A method for bleaching teeth comprising:

• (a) providing a thin-walled, flexible dental tray configured to cover a person's teeth and hold therein a quantity of a dental bleaching composition, wherein the dental tray is configured to be retained in a desired position over the person's teeth due to adhesive properties of the dental bleaching, composition rather than solely due to mechanical fit of the dental tray;
• (b) placing a quantity of a stable, one-part sticky dental bleaching composition within the dental tray, the dental bleaching composition including a peroxide dental bleaching agent included in an amount so as to bleach teeth, potassium nitrate included in an amount so as to reduce tooth sensitivity that may be caused by the dental bleaching agent when left in contact with a person's teeth for a time sufficient to cause bleaching of the teeth, a bleaching agent stabilizer, and a carrier including a tackifying agent selected from the group consisting of carboxypolymethylene, polyacrylic copolymers, gums, polyethylene oxides, proteins, and mixtures thereof;
• (c) positioning the dental tray in a desired position over the person's teeth for a period of time sufficient to bleach teeth, wherein the adhesive dental bleaching composition is primarily responsible for retaining the dental tray in a desired position over the person's teeth rather than solely due to mechanical fit of the dental tray;
• and
• (d) removing the dental tray from the person's teeth.