What Are the Long-Term Effects of Teeth Whitening? Is It Safe?
A bright white smile gives you a healthier, younger, and more attractive appearance. Therefore, more people are considering whitening their teeth through in-office or at-home treatments. However, you should expect some side effects after teeth whitening. Continue reading to learn about teeth whitening side effects.
What Is Teeth Whitening?
Teeth can lose their white color due to aging, decay, trauma, and certain foods, drinks, or medicines. In addition, poor oral hygiene and tobacco use contribute to teeth staining. Fortunately, you do not have to live with a less-than-perfect smile.
Teeth whitening is a procedure to lift stains and discolorations off teeth. There are various options to transform the color of your teeth. For example, you can visit a whitening salon or dental office or use store-bought whitening products. All these methods achieve a whiter smile, but their efficacy and safety differ.
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
Every treatment, including teeth whitening, has certain side effects. However, the risks increase when you whiten your teeth using over-the-counter whitening products. This is because you may not follow the manufacturers’ directions. Going to a salon or kiosk for teeth whitening is also risky and increases the side- effects.
The safest option to whiten teeth is to visit a dentist near you. The dentist will evaluate your teeth and provide safe teeth whitening treatments. They will take precautions to reduce the expected side effects. For example, the dentist will use retractors to prevent hydrogen peroxide from harming your oral soft tissues.
Also, they will apply a special sealant on teeth to prevent enamel erosion from the whitening gel. In addition, they will perform a fluoride treatment to remineralize and strengthen your teeth. This reduces the effects of enamel erosion, such as sensitivity. Finally, the dentist will recommend tips to minimize the side effects of teeth whitening.
Teeth Whitening Side Effects
Some of the side effects that you can expect after teeth whitening in Manapalan are:
- Sensitivity
It is a common side effect of teeth whitening, regardless of the method used. You will experience a dull ache or sharp pain whenever you take cold or hot foods or drinks. The pain can be severe if the treatment is not administered properly or if you have weakened enamel.
Sensitivity occurs because the bleaching agent, hydrogen peroxide, opens the pores in the enamel. This allows the chemicals to react and lift stains from the teeth. However, it takes several hours for the pores to close. As a result, the nerves inside the tooth will experience pain when you take hot or cold substances.
Fortunately, your dentist can reduce the risk of sensitivity. For example, they can treat existing cavities before whitening. Also, they may ask you to use desensitizing toothpaste for a few days before and after whitening.
The good news is that sensitivity fades less than 24 hours after the procedure. However, it can be a long-term side effect if you whiten your teeth excessively or do not use dentist-approved methods. Your enamel will become thinner, resulting in long-term sensitivity.
- Gums or soft tissue irritation
The whitening agent can cause chemical burns on your gums and inner parts of the lips or cheeks. As a result, you will experience irritation. It can manifest as blistering, soreness, or white spots in these tissues. Fortunately, this side effect is preventable.
During professional teeth whitening, the dentist in Manalapan will protect your soft tissues. They will use retractors and dental dams. These prevent the gums, lips, and cheeks from coming into contact with the chemicals. If you whiten your teeth at home, keep the bleaching agent from your oral soft tissues. Rinse it off and stop the treatment if you experience irritation.
Gums or soft-tissue irritation is not a long-term side effect of teeth whitening but resolves quickly. However, you can permanently damage the tissues if you leave the gel longer than recommended.
- Tooth pain
Some patients experience tooth or gum pain for the first 24 hours after teeth whitening. You may have a dull ache or sharp pains in a tooth with cavities or cracks. The pain occurs when the whitening chemicals penetrate the tooth affecting the nerves. Tooth pain is not a long-term side effect and can be prevented if you go for in-office teeth whitening.
Are you considering teeth whitening in Manapalan? Book an appointment at Union Hill Dental for a safe and effective treatment.