Does professional tooth whitening harm already sensitive teeth?
as I have receding gums and one of my front teeth is really sensitive at the moment. I am getting married in 2 weeks and would like to have them professionally whitened (gel 4 2 weeks) but feel like it may harm my teeth and make them more sensitive and weak...is this true, will it damage my teeth?
Thanks Gemma
The bleaching process effects patients in different ways, but if you already experience sensitivity in some areas it probably will make them a little more sensitive. I have the same problem and understand completely. I bleached mine about 10 years ago and do a touch up every 4-5 months with the trays using a 22% solution of Nite White for about 30 minutes at a time. One way to bleach with reduced sensitivity is to limit your time, instead of bleaching for an hour, do two 30 minute sessions. One 30 minute session in the morning and then another 30 minutes at bedtime. That way you will reduce the amount of exposure time to the solution per session and have less sensitivity during the day, and then the night time bleaching will allow your teeth all night to recover. We usually recommend reducing the time or skipping a day. This will also let you decide if your teeth can tolerate longer, just increase your time by 10 to 15 minutes each session. You can increase and decrease as you need it. The sensitivity usually last for a few hours to a day at most. You will want all the teeth to be bleached including the area that has some recession on the anterior teeth for ultimate results. To add a desensitizer to the receded area would prevent bleaching or stop the bleaching process. It's better to reduce the time or see how well you tolerate the solution. There are several different materials with solution strengths to choose from. All of these are safe to use and won't harm the enamel or the strength of the tooth structure. The bleaching process isn't suppose to hurt you or your teeth, only whiten them to the brightest possible shade by removing the staining under the many layers of enamel. Your dentist will be better able to provide you with the solution that will cause you the least sensitivity and the best results. Good luck and I'm sure you will enjoy the results for years to come!
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