Teeth Whitening: Not For Everyone

Tooth whitening is an excellent choice for cosmetic dentistry that offers wonderful benefits. However, it isn’t for everyone. There are certain individuals with certain circumstances who should avoid teeth whitening. For some teeth whitening can simply be less successful than others, but for some teeth whitening can also present some serious side effects. So if you are in one of the following categories you should carefully discuss teeth whitening with your dentist before proceeding.

The first factor to consider is your age and any pregnancy issues. For children under the age of sixteen bleaching is not recommended since the pulp chamber and nerve of the tooth are enlarged. Doing teeth whitening at this time can irritate the pulp chamber and cause the teeth to become sensitive. You also shouldn’t undergo teeth whitening if you are pregnant or lactating.

Second is for those with sensitive teeth and allergies. If you have sensitive teeth, sensitive gums, receding gums and/or defective restorations of any kind then it is best to talk with your dentist before undergoing any type of teeth whitening system. Also if you are allergic to peroxide you should use teeth whitening products since this is the most common whitening agent.

Also those with gum disease, tooth disease, worn enamel, cavities or exposed roots should avoid undergoing any type of tooth whitening procedure. Cavities can be treated and then an individual can undergo a teeth whitening procedure. However, anyone with these conditions should avoid treatments since the solutions have the potential to penetrate into the decay and reach the inner areas of the tooth which can lead to sensitivity. Also a teeth whitening procedure won’t work on those with exposed roots since there is no enamel layer.

If you have filling, crowns or other restorations these resin composite materials won’t whiten. Therefore, if you use teeth whitening products you will get uneven whitening since you teeth will appear whiter than the restorations. All teeth whitening procedures should be done before restoration work if possible. If you have numerous restorations you can talk with your dentist about other options such as bonding, veneers or crowns rather than a teeth whitening procedure. Your dentist can better help you choose a teeth whitening strategy that matches your needs.

Before you consider teeth whitening systems you should make sure you don’t have unrealistic expectations. If you want your teeth to be a new, blinding shade of white then you will likely be disappointed with the results you get. If you smoke you need to be aware that results will be limited unless you stop smoking, especially during the bleaching process. Often teeth whitening procedures are only use to give people a healthy natural appearance to their teeth. Ideally teeth are supposed to be slightly white than the color of your eyes.

Lastly if you have darkly stained teeth you may require more extensive procedures. Those with yellowish colored teeth see the best results from bleaching. Those with brown to gray colored teeth won’t respond as well to teeth whitening. The darker the color of your teeth the more treatments that may be required. Otherwise your dentist may recommend other treatment options.