Tooth whitening treatments have the ability to improve the appearance of the smile and lighten the teeth up to six shades of white after stains have been removed. Although, as with any dental or cosmetic procedure, there can be adverse effects that come as a result of the procedure.
There are side effects to tooth whitening that cosmetic dentists do not tell you about. One of these adverse effects to teeth whitening is the sensitivity that can be created through the teeth whitening process. Although this is a temporary condition that can last an average of six weeks, it is experienced by up to forty percent of patients that have undergone the tooth whitening process.
Specialized toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth can help to ease the discomfort which is associated with this side effect. Aside from using toothpaste that has been designed for sensitive teeth, there is little can be done to decrease the symptoms. The main ingredient in the whitening toothpaste, potassium nitrate can help to ease the pain by temporarily numbing the nerve endings.
The process of tooth whitening can sometimes cause discoloration on the teeth as different parts of the tooth may reach in different ways to the whitening procedure. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided and can cause discolorations to appear on different parts of the tooth as each part of the tooth may respond normally, become too white, or not respond at all to the whitening process - depending on the condition and stains which are present on the tooth.
Over time, additional tooth whitening processes may decrease the appearance of these spotted teeth. Generally, two to three additional whitening procedures can assist in reducing the contrast between the teeth and creating a cohesive appearance.
In few cases after the teeth have been exposed to the whitening process the gums have been shown to become irritated. In most cases, the gum and other susceptible areas to the mouth are covered and treated to avoid irritation that can come from the UV lights which are used to activate the oxygen within the teeth whitening process.
The mild irritation that is experienced by a small percentage of patients that have undergone the teeth whitening procedure can be resolved by avoiding the tooth whitening treatments for three to five days to allow the mouth to heal from the past treatment. After exposure, the teeth need time to heal, as do the other areas of the mouth.
Home whitening kits are a great way to avoid these repercussions, as a milder formula is used in at home teeth whitening kits. This formula can obtain similar to results to professional whitening kits and come at a fraction of the price! At home whitening kits are a great way to give your smile a pick me up.
