Many people that are unhappy with their discolored teeth decide to get professional whitening treatments. Unfortunately, the risk of professional whitening is teeth that are more sensitive than before. Here are some things you can do to prepare your teeth before the procedure, and ease any discomfort afterwards.
Preparation Prior To Teeth Whitening
If you have a problem with teeth sensitivity, there are some steps you can take to get your teeth ready for the whitening treatment. Start by using a toothpaste that is designed to desensitize your teeth. Sensitivity occurs when your dentin tubules become exposed, causing the nerves to feel more sensitive. Specialty toothpaste will close the dentin tubules, reducing sensitivity. Use desensitizing toothpaste for a couple weeks before you have the whitening procedure done.
You can also perform regular fluoride treatments using mouthwash with fluoride in it. Fluoride helps strengthen the enamel on your teeth, and lowers the chance of the dentin becoming exposed. Avoiding acidic beverages and foods will also prevent damage from happening to the enamel, which can expose your dentin.
While these steps will not cure teeth sensitivity problems, it will help them become less sensitive for a whitening procedure.
Reducing Sensitivity Due To Teeth Whitening
The whitening procedure may cause your teeth to be more sensitive, to the point that it even causes pain. You can reduce the side effects by using ibuprofen to reduce any inflammation.
If you are using a tray and gel whitening treatment at home, never keep the gel on your teeth beyond the maximum time allowed. Leaving it on longer can cause irritation.
Hold off on brushing your teeth immediately after a whitening treatment for a few reasons. The first is to avoid anything that can open up those dentin tubules that increase sensitivity. The second is because whitening chemicals can be slightly acidic, and your teeth need some recovery time.
It is also wise to space out the whitening treatments. Additional whitening treatments are not time sensitive, and they can be done months later to get your teeth a few shades whiter. You should also continue to use any products that desensitize your teeth, since if they worked in the past, they will continue to work on your whiter teeth.
When you talk to your dentist about teeth whitening, make them aware of your teeth sensitivity. They may recommend a whitening solution that's not as strong at first to see how it will react on your teeth. For more information, contact a clinic such as Sunshine Dentistry.
Share14 April 2015
My son was outside playing with some friends when he accidentally fell down and hit his mouth on the sidewalk. The fall knocked out his front tooth, so I immediately placed the tooth in a small jar and added some milk. I rushed my son to the dental clinic and the dentist immediately took us into the examination room. The dentist placed the tooth back into the socket and saved it. My name is Beverly Tillman and thanks to the quick work of the dentist, my son didn't lose his tooth. Since this was a scary time for me and my son, I wanted to write this blog as a source of information for other parents who are facing a dental emergency. First of all, don't panic and get to your dentist as soon as possible. I hope this blog will help to answer your questions about dental emergencies.