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Potential Side Effects of Over the Counter Teeth Whitening Products

With every treatment out there, of course, there are side effects. Unfortunately, most of our patients at Old Milton Dental don’t know about the various side effects of over the counter teeth whitening products like whitening strips. Before you head to the store or online to buy some random tooth whitening kit, please educate yourself about the potential side effects of tooth whitening kits not from your Alpharetta tooth whitening dentist.

Tooth Sensitivity

One of the top side effects of over the counter whitening products is tooth sensitivity. This is generally caused by incorrect use of the products. Tooth sensitivity can occur if you have overly sensitive teeth, you leave the product on too long, or you apply it incorrectly. While some patients may only experience mild tooth sensitivity, others may experience a more severe side effect. The more severe side effects tend to happen with fast result whitening kits because these use a higher bleaching agent than your typical whitening strip. The whitening strips you leave on for long periods of time also tend to cause more tooth sensitivity.

Your teeth may become sensitive from using over the counter tooth whitening kits because your dentin layer is exposed during the whitening process. If you are prone to tooth sensitivity, we recommend that you use a kit that your tooth whitening dentist recommends for you. Your dentist will know which products cause the most sensitivity and which ones don’t. One way to combat tooth sensitivity with tooth whitening in Alpharetta is by using sensitivity toothpaste. Using this daily can help prevent sensitivity while you whiten your teeth.

Gum Irritation

Another major side effect of over the counter whitening kits is gum irritation. Unfortunately, this is entirely due to misuse of the whitening products. It also has a lot to do with whitening strips or mouth trays not being custom made to fit your mouth exactly. When you use a mouth tray, whitening strips or other whitening product and the whitening solution gets on your gums, this can cause a lot of gum irritation. It may even feel like your gums are burning. It’s possible that your gums even turn white after becoming exposed to the whitening solution. If you continue to expose your gums to your whitening product, this can cause bleeding or severe pain. If you find that you use any whitening solution and it causes gum irritation, stop using it. You don’t want to experience severe gum pain.

Undesired Results

Another major potential side effect of over the counter whitening products is that you achieve undesirable results. In other words, your overall results don’t look like what you had hoped for. Your teeth can be unevenly whitened which is quite common with over the counter whitening products. Your teeth can also result in a shade that is hardly different from your starting color. This means that all the money and time you spent whitening your teeth was for nothing. Some patients need a stronger bleaching concentration in order to achieve their desired results. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee with over the counter whitening products.

Enamel Erosion

Another major side effect of over the counter teeth whitening treatments is an erosion of your enamel. Before we tell you more about that side effect, we find that it’s important to explain to you what your enamel is. Your enamel is the top layer of your tooth that protects against cavities and bacteria. Without this protective layer, your teeth can be weaker and have a higher risk of developing cavities and tooth decay. When you misuse a whitening product or use one that is not given to you by your dentist, you raise the risk of damaging your enamel.

Enamel erosion is a common side effect of over the counter tooth whitening products. If you use a charcoal whitening kit that tells you to brush your teeth with activated charcoal, this can actually damage your enamel because activated charcoal is coarse and will scrape off your enamel. Other whitening kits can damage your enamel if their strength is too high or you leave the bleach on for too long. Is whitening your teeth really worth damaging your teeth over? No. Visit your dentist to ensure that you don’t damage your teeth.

Side Effects of Professional Teeth Whitening

At Old Milton Dental in Alpharetta, we highly recommend that our patients visit us for their tooth whitening needs. This is because when you whiten with you, you face less side effects. To start, you reduce your risk of developing sensitive teeth. Let our dentist know that you are prone to tooth sensitivity with teeth whitening and we will recommend the best tooth whitening product for you. In addition, we will prescribe tooth sensitivity toothpaste to help prevent sensitivity from occurring.

When you use a professional teeth whitening treatment, you won’t face the risk that your smile will have undesirable results. This is because our dentist is supervising your treatment. Not to mention, we give you custom-made tooth whitening trays so that no bleach solution finds its way to your gums. You can expect to receive beautiful, even and white teeth without the bad side effects. Our dentist will ask you up front what color you want your teeth to be. With this color in mind, we will design the right tooth whitening treatment to achieve these goals. Lastly, since we use only professional products, you don’t have to worry about damaging your enamel. We will make sure your teeth are just as healthy after your treatment as they were before.

Visit Old Milton Dental for Professional Teeth Whitening in Alpharetta Today

If you want to steer clear of over the counter tooth whitening products, visit our dentist in Alpharetta for professional teeth whitening treatment. Give us a call or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment today.