A Parent’s Guide to Emergency Dental Care

Posted on: 3 August 2018

Whitening your teeth doesn't have to result in your teeth or gums being sensitive, but it often does for many people. If you've recently whitened your teeth at home and are experiencing sensitivity of the teeth and gums,it may mean that you may have hurt your mouth while whitening your teeth. Read on to learn how these products can harm your oral health and what you should do instead.

Damage to Gums

The whitening chemicals in most at-home whitening products can cause serious harm to your gums. They're never intended to be applied directly to gums, but unfortunately, many products can come into contact with your gums without you meaning for it to happen.

For example, gums can be damaged by whitening strips if your teeth are smaller than average. The strip will reach further, potentially encroaching on your gums. Other whitening methods, like painted on whitening gel can cause problems as soon as you close your mouth. The gel can move around, coming into contact with your gums, and it can leave them sensitive afterwards as a result.

Weakened Enamel

Whitening product directions are meant to be followed precisely. Wearing them for too long can cause permanent damage to your tooth enamel, which can cause sensitivity.

However, you can still follow directions and still incur damage. This typically happens to people who have weakened dental enamel to begin with. Their enamel isn't strong enough to tolerate whitening chemicals, and as a result, those chemicals can begin to break down the enamel further. Restoring lost enamel requires a visit to the dentist, and in extreme situations, it may not be possible to restore what was lost.

A Better Way

Rather than messing around with at-home products that can harm your gums and teeth, the smarter solution is to visit a dentist for whitening treatments.

Dentists can whiten your teeth with all the tools and equipment that only they have access to. This ensures that whitening chemicals will never come into contact with your gums. In fact, most dentists use protective gels over your gums to ensure that even if they're touched by the tooth whitening chemicals, that they won't be affected.

In addition, your enamel will not be in danger. Your dentist will ensure that your enamel is healthy before beginning any tooth whitening, and the whitening process will only go on long enough to give you the results you want, and the results your enamel can handle.

Tooth whitening can be safe if you go to the professionals. Why waste time with an at-home product that could give you higher dental bills to repair the damage they've caused? Get it done right the first time and visit your local dentist for tooth whitening.  For more information about professional whitening, visit a dental website such as http://www.lindendentalnaples.com.