LIGHT-ACTIVATED TOOTH WHITENING COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF USING SAME

The present invention provides a tooth whitening composition having a transparent first component that is a carrier compound and a transparent second component that is an oxidizing compound which when applied to a stained tooth and exposed to actinic light is activated to facilitate tooth whitening. The invention also provides a method for light-activated tooth whitening which comprise applying a tooth-whitening composition to one or more teeth and exposing said composition to actinic light to activate said oxidizing compound. The present invention further provides a device for tooth whitening which has a light source, at least one optical output, a projection means for holding and positioning said optical output outside of a patient's mouth in a manner so as to provide approximately simultaneous and uniform illumination of a patient's front teeth by said optical output; and a connection means for connecting said light source to said optical output. The invention also provides methods of using the device.