Why Professional Whitening Is the Safest Way to Whiten Teeth?
Only a handful of things in life can top the beauty emanating from a beautiful smile. No wonder our dentist near you cares for countless people who seek teeth whitening to revamp their smiles. The demand for teeth whitening is rising each day since people are searching for solutions to help them stand out.
Teeth whitening in Saint Paul, MN, maybe a cosmetic dental treatment, but it greatly impacts the quality of our patient’s lives. But due to the influx of different teeth whitening products, there is some concern that the procedure might not be safe.
Even though the risk in life can never be fully eliminated, professional teeth whitening reduces the risks and thus is considered the safest method of whitening teeth. Let’s unpack how professional teeth whitening works to understand why it’s considered the safest option.
How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?
The beauty of professional teeth whitening is that your teeth will be shades brighter in a heartbeat. It is relatively quick, and your teeth will be stain-free within an hour. It is also a straightforward process and is non-invasive, which means it is pain-free. However, some patients might complain of tooth sensitivity after the procedure.
As you well know, there are several teeth-whitening products that you can pick off the shelf. They all contain a bleaching agent known as hydrogen peroxide. The bleaching agent is not in high concentration to reduce the risk of patients harming their teeth and gums.
But the concentration levels of the bleaching agent used during your teeth whitening session at our dental office is much higher. That’s why the effects are visible immediately after the procedure.
Our dentist will first cover the gums and the other soft tissue to ensure that the bleaching agent doesn’t come into contact with them. If the bleaching agent is accidentally applied to the gums, it will irritate them.
After covering the soft tissue, our dentist will apply the bleaching gel on the teeth and allow it to work for some time. The teeth will readily absorb the hydrogen peroxide through tiny pores. This will temporarily weaken the tooth as the peroxide travels into the inner parts of the teeth. The peroxide will release free radicals, which break down the stains resulting in a whiter smile.
However, since the tooth is temporarily weakened, it could result in discomfort and even pain hours after the procedure.
The sensitivity occurs because the peroxide might have reached the nerves. But people experience tooth sensitivity in varying degrees due to the following factors:
- The strength of the whitening treatments
- The teeth’s unique traits
- Previous teeth whitening procedures
Is Professional Teeth Whitening Considered Safe?
Yes! As mentioned earlier, hydrogen peroxide weakens teeth and can cause tooth sensitivity. Therefore, you must be knowledgeable about the bleaching agent to avoid undesired results. That’s why our dentist near you performs the procedure, who knows teeth and how to use the bleaching agent.
Also, our dentist will place the protective stuff over the soft tissue to ensure no contact with the bleaching agent.
When people bleach their teeth at home, they always risk harming their teeth since they aren’t experts in dealing with bleaching agents.
How to Improve Teeth Whitening Safety
Professional teeth whitening near you is expertly executed. There’s no other method of teeth whitening that can guarantee your safety than professional teeth whitening. Since our dentist knows that there is a chance that undesirable effects may arise, there will always be mitigation measures that will help reduce the risks, such as placing protective material over the soft tissue and applying the correct amounts of bleaching gel.
Therefore, our dentist will advise that you do the following:
- Undergo Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride treatment is good for your teeth. Fluoride aids in the process of returning lost minerals to the teeth. The treatment aids in strengthening the teeth, which reduces tooth sensitivity.
- Use a Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth
You will need to clean your teeth after whitening. It would help if you got toothpaste for sensitive teeth. So, your teeth will remain white, and sensitivity will be reduced.
- Adjust Your Diet
You will need to avoid too hot or cold foods since extreme temperatures will exacerbate the issue. Also, avoid acidic foods for a few days until the sensitivity reduces.
- Use a Tooth Desensitizer
After your teeth whitening session, our dentist will place a tooth desensitizer, reducing tooth sensitivity for 24 hours.
The Takeaway
Teeth whitening in Saint Paul, MN, is expertly executed, and safety measures are taken before and after the procedure to ensure you are comfortable and safe. For professional teeth whitening, contact us at Little Canada Dental.