Teeth Whitening Side Effects: What to Expect After Treatment
Dr. Jean E. Barthman has been helping numerous patients in and around Redwood City have beautiful smiles thanks to professional teeth whitening treatments. Teeth whitening can make your smile several times brighter, lifting stains and discoloration and boosting your self-confidence.
We want to use this blog post to focus on the side effects of teeth whitening treatment and what you can do to address them.
About Teeth Whitening Treatment
While there is some variation with teeth whitening treatments at home or in the dentist's office, some of the basic principles prevail.
During teeth whitening treatment, the teeth are exposed to a teeth whitening gel. This gel contains an active bleaching ingredient. When the teeth are exposed to this bleaching agent, the actual tooth structure is whitened at the enamel layer, reducing the appearance of stains and general discoloration in the process.
Tooth Sensitivity After Teeth Whitening
One of the most common side effects after teeth whitening treatment is tooth sensitivity. It happens to every patient who has their teeth bleached, though the overall degree of sensitivity can vary from person to person.
Why Teeth Become Sensitive After Bleaching
To understand this, it's important to consider the basic structure of the teeth. Beneath the enamel layer is the dentin layer of the tooth. This dentin layer contains small pores called dentinal tubules. The tubules lead into the dental pulp in the tooth and help transfer sensations of heat, cold, and pressure.
When teeth get bleached, the bleaching agent can make the tubules more sensitive simply from penetrating the dentin layers.
Tips for Dealing with Tooth Sensitivity
When you undergo a professional teeth whitening treatment, your dentist will place a tooth densensitizer in order to reduce the amount of discomfort you will experience on the first day.
When at home, you should avoid consuming hot or cold beverages and opt instead for room temperature, non-spicy food items and liquids. The same is true when you brush your teeth and gargle.
If using an over-the-counter whitening kit or a professional-grade take-home kit, be sure to follow all instructions to the letter and to never wear the bleaching tray longer than recommended. This will help prevent more severe cases of tooth sensitivity.
Gum Irritation After Teeth Whitening
A less common side effect of teeth whitening is gum irritation. This occurs when the bleaching agent gets on the gums and is not wiped away.
Why Gums Become Irritated After Bleaching
The bleaching agent contains chemical substances that are specially designed for treating the teeth and are not intended to be used on the soft tissues of the mouth. If the gum tissue is exposed to the bleaching agent, it will feel raw or itchy as a response to the effects of the bleaching agent.
Tips for Preventing Gum Irritation
With professional in-office teeth whitening, gum irritation tends to not be an issue since the dentist and dental hygienist are highly attentive and prevent the bleaching agent from remaining on the gums for too long.
When using over-the-counter whitening kits or professional-grade take-home kits, patients should make sure to use a sensible amount of bleaching gel and to keep the gel in the whitening tray. If you do notice bleaching gel get on your gums, be sure to wipe it off with a cotton swab.
Learn More About Cosmetic Dentistry Treatments
If you would like to learn more about teeth whitening and your many other options for addressing tooth discoloration and other problems, be sure to contact our cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. Dr. Jean E. Barthman will answer all of your questions and concerns in full so that you can have a healthy and beautiful smile.