Teeth Whitening and Sensitivity: Can You Avoid It?

Teeth whitening will brighten your smile, but it can cause teeth to become sensitive to heat, cold and pressure.

This is especially true for bleaching agents found in teeth trays. With teeth trays, the peroxide in the bleaching agent is often highly concentrated. When peroxide interacts with teeth for extended periods, it may reach past the enamel and into the dentine and cause irritation.

That is why you are looking at that delicious ice cream with longing and fear. So how can you get a beautiful smile without living through the misery of tooth sensitivity?

How to avoid sensitivity after teeth whitening

1. Prepare your teeth for the procedure

Start using toothpaste and other dental products with ingredients for sensitive teeth. This will build up your teeth's resistance to the effects of the teeth whitening gel. The dentist will be happy to prescribe medicated toothpaste or a dental gel used to reduce tooth sensitivity.

Keep using this toothpaste or gel throughout the teeth whitening process as well as for a few days after the procedure.

2. Be gentle with your teeth

The teeth will most likely be sensitive to heat, cold and pressure. This means you should limit the teeth's exposure to these things. For a few days after each whitening procedure, consume only foods or drinks that are neither hot nor cold. Be sure to avoid sugary and acidic foods as well.

To deal with your teeth's sensitivity to pressure, be gentle when brushing your teeth. You should get a toothbrush with soft bristles and use lukewarm water to avoid pain.

3. Use a straw

Drinking straws will direct liquids right past the teeth and to the back of the throat. This will keep hot or cold liquids from your teeth as well as sugary drinks.

4. Choose a gentle teeth whitening kit

The active agents in teeth whitening gels are peroxide-based compounds. Many people choose the most powerful teeth whitening kits they can find — ones with the highest percentage of peroxide.

In high concentration, peroxide compounds will go past the enamel and into the dentine, and that is how teeth sensitivity occurs.

To avoid this problem, choose a mild teeth whitening kit. Find one with a low percentage of peroxide. Have the dentist prescribe a teeth whitening regimen that uses a mild bleaching agent, even if it will take longer for the discoloration to fade.

5. Soak the teeth in sensitivity toothpaste

Immediately after using a home whitening kit, soak the teeth by filling a teeth tray with fluoride or sensitivity toothpaste, and then wear it for 20 minutes. The soak will help to fortify the teeth by building up the enamel and by stopping sensation from reaching the tooth's nerve.

It does not have to hurt

With a little planning, you can make your teeth whitening experience comfortable and free of pain. Just ask the dentist for guidance in your efforts to prevent teeth sensitivity. Are you ready to have whiter teeth?

Request an appointment here: https://stonecanyondental.com or call Stone Canyon Dental at (972) 996-3191 for an appointment in our Sunnyvale office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Teeth Whitening.

Recent Posts

Bridge The Gap In Your Smile With A Dental Bridge

No one has to live with a gap in their smile due to missing teeth when a dental bridge offers a versatile and effective solution. It is also important to remember that replacing missing teeth is more than just a matter of cosmetics. Here is why bridging that gap teeth is important and how a…

Getting A Dental Bridge: 5 Things To Know

Missing teeth can negatively impact your smile's appearance and health. However, there are treatments out there that can help. Dental bridges are a common dental restoration that can improve oral health and enhance your smile. A dental bridge can be an effective solution if you have lost a tooth due to decay, injury, or other…

How Are Dental Bridges Placed?

Dental bridge placement will need two visits. The patient will go through a short process that will not be invasive at all. The result will improve the patient’s dental and general health. Knowing the placement process for this restoration can help prepare you for your next visit. Here is the placement process for a dental…

Dental Fillings To Repair Broken Teeth

If you are self-conscious about your smile because of a damaged or chipped tooth, you should know that a dentist can use dental fillings to quickly correct these minor flaws and restore your smile's appearance.Dental filling application is an in-office technique in which dentists use a tooth-colored resin substance to fix minor flaws in the…

Recent Posts

Bridge The Gap In Your Smile With A Dental Bridge

Bridge The Gap In Your Smile With A Dental Bridge

No one has to live with a gap in their smile due to missing teeth when a dental bridge offers a versatile and effective solution. It is also important to remember that replacing missing teeth is more than just a matter of cosmetics. Here is why bridging that gap teeth is important and how a…

Getting A Dental Bridge:   Things To Know

Getting A Dental Bridge: 5 Things To Know

Missing teeth can negatively impact your smile's appearance and health. However, there are treatments out there that can help. Dental bridges are a common dental restoration that can improve oral health and enhance your smile. A dental bridge can be an effective solution if you have lost a tooth due to decay, injury, or other…

HOURS: MON 8AM-5PM TUES 8AM-4PM WED 8AM-4PM THURS 8AM-4PM FRI 8AM – NOON