The Most Common Teeth Whitening Side Effects
If you have discolored teeth and stains and are thinking of using products to curb the problem, make sure you keep the teeth whitening side effects in mind.
Even though the products are effective, they have a good number of side-effects which should not be ignored.
The products available are teeth whitening trays, pastes and gels. All of them contain peroxide which is the main ingredient that leads to whiter teeth. The side effects can either be mild such as irritation or very painful like tooth decay. Let us look at the teeth whitening side effects one by one.
If you have very sensitive teeth; you will definitely experience irritation no matter which of the above mentioned product you use. The tooth whitening gel will make your gums tingle which can be quite unsettling in the long run.
If you start to experience severe pain, go to your dentist and ask him to re-start the procedure. What he will do is recommend a gel which has a lower concentration of peroxide. He may also tell you to continue only after a few months.
You may also experience this irritation after the gel or paste has been removed. Even though you may see results after several months, you may also find yourself avoiding drinks that are either too hot or too cold because they hurt your teeth. Among all the teeth whitening side effects, this is definitely the most common.
The good news is that this irritation will disappear after a month or so as your teeth will recover from the treatment.
Another side effect is pain - either in your gums or the teeth. This may happen if the bleaching agent touches a nerve. Even though it is very painful, you should try not to panic as the nerve will grow back and recover and the pain will subside. However, if the pain gets worse, you should go to your dentist and have him examine your teeth.
Gum irritation is a side effect which is seen when the tray or mouthpiece used for teeth whitening does not fit in comfortably. This will happen only if you buy the standard tray and do not ask your dentist to create one especially for you. Also, if the tray is not made well, it may cause the solution to leak out. This will lead to extreme irritation when it comes in contact with your gums and teeth.
Many people are not aware of this particular teeth whitening side effects - your teeth can actually get even more stained if you try to over-whiten them. This is because the gels and pastes contain abrasives which are acidic in nature. While these get rid of the stains effectively, they may also get rid of your tooth enamel permanently. This is why you should be careful and follow the instruction given on the packaging.
Make sure you read up on the teeth whitening side effects carefully before you begin the treatment. Apart from tooth decay, all the other side-effects and problems are minimal and one can fix them quite easily.
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