What Are the Risks of Teeth Whitening?
Ritter and Ramsey General and Cosmetic Dentistry service Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and all of Palm Beach County, Florida.
And Which Options Are Healthier for Me?
If you’ve considered a professional teeth whitening method, then you’ve probably run across all the positive reasons as to why you should dive into the world of cosmetic dentistry. But before you take the leap, have you looked into the risks of teeth whitening? And how they can affect the strength of your teeth in the long-run? If you are planning on brightening up your smile using these bleaching agents, talk to your dentist about the risks involved, and read on for our break down.
- Sensitivity: Many patients have reported that after a professional tooth whitening session, they feel an immense amount of tooth sensitivity. In most cases, the sensitivity does wear out after a few hours of the session, it’s recommended to avoid eating or drinking during this time. In extreme cases, the patients who get their teeth professionally whitened more than once a year will start to feel their teeth will grow in sensitivity in a general sense. In these cases, a dental professional may recommend toothpastes that aid in tooth sensitivity and may ask to limit your whitening sessions.
- Damage to the Roots of Teeth: Your dental professional can usually see signs of tooth root damage from whitening procedures. This can usually be avoided when your dentist has your health in mind and doesn’t recommend a professional whitening treatment as to not aid in your gums receding form your teeth.
Will A Professional Teeth Whitening Method Benefit Me?
As a general rule of thumb, badly yellowed teeth will likely receive the bleaching agents well and will lighten up the look of your teeth immensely. The powerful bleaching agents will break down the layers of these stains to reveal the white layers beneath. If your teeth are badly discolored (greyish or brownish tones), the bleaching agents may not impact these teeth are well as yellowed teeth. The grey tones are usually caused by all tobacco products and create the discoloration from inside the tooth’s outer layers. The best option for these patients is to have a professional deep cleaning session and have porcelain veneers placed on the outer sides of their teeth. This will give the look of a white, straight and consistent looking smile
A professional whitening session may not positively affect your teeth if you have several dental crowns or fillings as well. The bleaching agents won’t be able to penetrate these restorations and therefore cause several different colored shades in your teeth if the session is till performed. The best option for these patients is to simply replace these restorations.
If you enjoy the option of whitening your smile from home, but the over-the- counter pastes and strips aren’t giving you the results you need, then perhaps talk to your dentist about whitening trays. Professional whitening trays will give you a custom-made tray to hold a powerful stain fighting gel that will be used to target those stubborn yellow stains. This option doesn’t give the harsh sensitivity that other methods give and work just as great. Talk your dentist about the best option for you and the risks involved with each one. Remember, the health of your smile should be your number one priority for a total overall healthy body.
Ritter and Ramsey team to provide the best in cosmetic and general dentistry procedures for you and your entire family including professional teeth whitening. Experience the difference, consult with Ritter and Ramsey today.
Interested in learning more about how much professional teeth whitening costs? Read more here!