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Sensitivity After Teeth Whitening in Fayetteville, NC

August 11, 2017

Filed under: Uncategorized — Dr. Angela Ruff @ 7:19 pm

tooth pain, tooth sensitivity, dental painYou know you want a brighter smile, but every time you pick up the phone to schedule your appointment, you pause. A few people you know have complained about the sensitivity they experience after their whitening appointment. If you have any concerns about possibly getting teeth whitening in Fayetteville, NC, continue reading. Yes, patients may experience some sensitivity after a whitening treatment, but here’s why and how Ascot Aesthetic Implants & Dentistry can help you enjoy your teeth whitening treatment both before and after.

What do my teeth twinge after teeth whitening?

There are typically two reasons why your teeth may be sensitive after you undergo a whitening treatment:

1.     The bleaching product penetrates into your teeth, which causes your tooth pulp to experience mild pulpitis.

What is pulpitis? When there is a new, unexpected pressure applied to your teeth it will increase the blood flow and pressure within the tooth where the pulp resides. This unusual activity slightly irritates the tooth nerve and makes your teeth more sensitive to stimuli in general. It’s not a guaranteed side effect as different patients respond to the whitening treatment in different ways.

2.     Your teeth will experience increased tooth porosity and removal of the protective layer of your tooth’s surface.

This reason may be a little confusing. Basically, your teeth are made of layers. If you’re wanting teeth whitening, your surface layers (especially your protective layer) have become stained overtime. The bleaching product breaks down that protective layer to penetrate deeper layers of your teeth and lift stains. After the teeth whitening treatment, the inner layers of your smile are exposed for a brief period of time until that protect protein layer rebuilds again.

What can I do after my whitening appointment to relieve tooth sensitivity?

After your whitening session is completed, you can depend on Dr. Ruff to give you great advice on what to do after you leave our office. Some of the helpful tips that she may share are:

1.     Give your teeth a break after a whitening treatment.

Brushing your teeth right after your appointment is one of the worst things to do for your smile. Your protective layer is still affected and the pores of your teeth are exposed. Scrubbing your teeth will only cause more tooth sensitivity.

2.     Rinse your mouth after bleaching.

It’s important to thoroughly rinse your mouth with water or a pH re-balancing mouth rinse after whitening your teeth. Bleaching products have high acid levels. Leaving those products on your teeth for too long will damage your teeth.

3.     Plug up those pores.

One helpful way to reduce sensitivity is to plug up those exposed pores on your teeth. You can do this by using a q-tip or finger to softly apply a layer of calcium-based de-sensitizing pastes. By applying this layer, you’ll be rebuilding your teeth with a nutritious product and filling those exposed pores that cause sensitivity.

Whitening Your Teeth with a Professional Isn’t Scary!

When you bleach your smile at home, you risk handling the process and its side effects all by yourself. But, when you choose to visit an expert like Dr. Ruff, our office is here to help you the whole way. Achieve a bright smile the right way. Contact our office today!