TEETH WHITENING PART 2: THE SAGA CONTINUES

A bit more on teeth whitening…

WHY ARE TEETH SENSITIVE AFTER TOOTH WHITENING?

Well basically, the acidic gel has seeped into your enamel and exposed the nerves in your dentin.  What am I talking about? Read my lesson on the different parts of a tooth.  

What do we mean by sensitivity?  You typically will feel something like an electric “ping” in your teeth. This usually occurs in 24-48 hours after whitening.  This can be prompted by hot or cold drinks. This can also be unprompted. (Funny story: I was about to go in for the first kiss with my now wife when I felt one of these shocks and I screamed in her face.)

Some people are more sensitive than others.  The lead singer of the Counting Crows is super sensitive.  Stone Cold Steve Austin is not very sensitive. If you are experiencing a lot of sensitivity, here’s a few things you can do:

• cut down the amount of time you are bleaching your teeth:

if you are wearing bleaching trays, wear them less often.  Also, wear them for a shorter period of time. You can achieve excellent whitening results only wearing trays for 1 hour.

• decrease the strength of the gel you are using

Like we said, gels come in different strengths: 10%, 15%, 20%, 35%.   Are you sleeping overnight with 35% gel 6 nights a week and wondering why your teeth are sensitive?  I think it’s time to chill out.

• use a desensitizer

If you got an in-office whitening, sometimes they will give you a “desensitizing” gel after the procedure to apply post-operatively.  this will certainly help as well.

Didn’t get the luxurious desensitizer?  Sensodyne toothpaste can help. according to Sensodyne: “Sensodyne® toothpastes with potassium nitrate works to soothe the nerves inside the tooth.”  My sister swears by the stuff. Just make sure you using it twice a day and not bouncing around to Crest or Colgate after sleeping over at your boyfriend’s apartment.  Consistency is key in order to get the benefits of Sensodyne.

WILL TOOTH WHITENING WORK FOR YOU?

Results may vary!  This is not a perfect world!  A good rule of thumb is: this helps most if your teeth are yellow.  If your teeth are gray, (as Liam Neeson’s adversary said in Taken) “good luck”.  

Everyone wants whiter teeth and luckily in this day and age, there are many different ways to accomplish this.  Decide what makes the most sense based on your teeth and your budget.

In the meantime, Keep Smiling 🙂

Derek
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