Eliminating stains and discoloration on your teeth with the help of professional whitening is a fast, safe, and effective solution, but many patients are hesitant to try it out of fears of experiencing dental sensitivity. But while this side effect can be quite common with over-the-counter whitening strips and gels, how likely is it with the treatment you receive from your dentist? Here’s a guide to helping prevent your risk of tooth sensitivity following professional whitening, and why you can expect it to be much less severe than it would be with OTC products.
Why Does Whitening Cause Tooth Sensitivity?
To understand why some methods of whitening are better than others at preventing sensitivity, you first need to understand what causes it. The reason many people experience discomfort when eating hot or cold foods following teeth whitening is because the powerful chemicals used in most whitening agents often strip the enamel of some of its minerals. While this effect is only temporary, the longer you expose your teeth to these chemicals, the more time they will take to recover. Thus, if you are using OTC products that take many weeks or months to be effective, you are exposing your teeth to the ingredients that cause discomfort for a longer period. Unfortunately, many people believe that because OTC products use diluted ingredients, they will cause less sensitivity, but this is not usually the case.
How to Prevent Tooth Sensitivity
The best way to prevent tooth sensitivity is to start at the top with professional whitening. While it may seem like a bigger bargain to buy an OTC kit or white strips, the truth is that by the time you achieve the results you want, you may end up spending the same if not more than you would have on professional whitening. Worse yet, because it takes longer to work, OTC treatment could cause your teeth to be sensitive for far longer than professional treatment.
In addition to choosing the faster and more efficient method of whitening, here are a few tips you can try to help your teeth feel their best following your procedure:
- Brush with a sensitive toothpaste for several days before and after your professional whitening treatment.
- Avoid hot, cold, and acidic foods and beverages for two or three days after your procedure.
Additionally, you should stick to a “white diet” full of foods and beverages that won’t re-stain your teeth, especially in the first several days. A great rule of thumb is if it stains a white t-shirt, it will likely re-stain your teeth, so opt for things like mashed potatoes, eggs, hummus, yogurt, and other dairy products that will not deposit color on your smile.
Remember, while it may not be possible to completely prevent tooth sensitivity from occurring, choosing professional whitening, using sensitive toothpaste, and temporarily sticking to a restricted diet will help keep it to a minimum.
About Our Practice
At Omega Dental of Bedford, Dr. Julyat Gajera and Dr. Prashantkumar Gajera are proud to offer a variety of dental treatments under one convenient roof. If you’d like to remove up to eight shades of discoloration from your smile, professional whitening can do the job in less time and with less sensitivity than those OTC kits that promise more than they deliver. To schedule a consultation and see if professional whitening is right for your smile, please visit our website or call us today at 817-518-6915.