The Dentist From a Child' Point of View

Side Effects Of Too Frequent Dental Whitening

If you are in a hurry for whiter teeth, then your cosmetic dentist can help to reduce dental discoloration as soon as possible. However, there are limits to how fast the teeth can be whitened, and you should not go beyond these limits. In fact, if you push your dentist to moves too fast or use whitening gels that are too strong for your teeth, you may notice a few side effects that are less than pleasant. Keep reading to learn what they are.

Darker Teeth

It may seem odd, but an accelerated dental whitening technique can actually cause discolored teeth. When whitening treatments are given too soon, then the enamel can become damaged. Specifically, the minerals are leached from the teeth, and you will see the dentin that sits just behind the enamel. Dentin is much more yellow in tone than the tooth enamel, mainly due to the proteins and collagen contained within the dentin. 

Since dentin is a yellow color, your teeth will appear yellow when the dentin shows through. While enamel can be remineralized to some degree, it is almost impossible to rebuild completely. So, in your quest for whiter teeth, you may inadvertently change the color of your teeth a more permanent yellow tone. Keep in mind that the loss of dental enamel can cause white spots to develop as well. These white spots are quite noticeable, and sometimes veneers are required to restore the teeth to a more natural tone. Not only is this expensive, but veneers are permanent.

Sensitive Teeth

Dental enamel is not completely solid. It does have small cracks in its surface. However, it is solid enough to keep hot and cold temperatures from disturbing the dentin in a way that you feel pain and soreness. If a tooth whitening removes some of the minerals from the enamel though, then more of the dentin will be exposed. This includes the small pores in the material called tubules. These tubules have a direct route to the nerves in the teeth, so the more exposure, the more sensitive the teeth become.

Some people feel extreme sensitivities if too frequent and strong whitening treatments are provided. The good news is that the throbbing sensations will subside, but they may start up again whenever you receive another whitening treatment. If sensitivity continues, your dentist can start fluoride treatments to help remineralize the enamel. You can also use sensitive toothpaste, like the ones that contain either potassium nitrate or strontium chloride to block the signals that reach the dental nerves. 

If you want to know more about dental whitening and how to come up with a whitening schedule that is best for your oral health, speak with a cosmetic dentist. You can also check out a website like http://www.pikedentistry.com today!


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